As I type this, I'm sitting on my porch watching the sun set, slightly burned from gardening without practicing proper sun safety. Yesterday, my wife and I did some grilling and sat by a fire in our backyard. Last week it snowed. It's a bit hard to process, but here we are. Inside, there has been much to enjoy this week as well, with MUBI announcing the launch of its new and expansive always available Library, Open City Docs' plans to livestream its FRONTIERLAND: SHORTS series, and six big docs have found their way online via various outlets. And if you haven't been keeping up, there has been a recently released study showing folks are 70% more likely to check out new first release films from home rather than a cinema, which is somewhat unsurprising given the current situation, though disappointing none-the-less. With this in mind, Vadim Rizov (and likely the film industry in general) have begun to ask, "Are virtual theaters here to stay?" Only time will tell, so read ahead for some thoughts on the matter and much else!

Join DOC NYC PRO for its next Immersive webinar program, a two-session deep dive into social impact producing and audience engagement in the pandemic context. Guests include a slate of independent impact producers from around the world, including Mariana Ribeiro in Brazil (THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY, THE NIGHTCRAWLERS); Ani Mercedes in Miami (Looky Looky Pictures) and Gwendolyn Alston from MocaMedia, in Spain. We’re also joined by those forwarding social impact from inside organizations: Darcy Heusel at NEON; Tricia Finneran at Good Pitch Local; Denae Peters at Perspective Fund; and Max Steinman from Exposure Labs.

Tickets are $10 and include both sessions; registrants may participate in both sessions live and will also have access to the recorded session and a written transcript after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable.

On Episode 5, Marc Levin discusses his Quibi series I PROMISE about an Ohio grade school backed by Lebron James; and the directors of CRIP CAMP, Jim Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham discuss their history of the disability rights movement that won the Sundance Audience Prize and is now on Netflix.

HEADLINES

Sundance Institute Announces Latest Documentary Fund GranteesAnnounced via press release: “Sundance Institute today named the global cohort of 22 independent nonfiction filmmakers and their projects that comprise the latest Grantees of the Institute’s Documentary Fund. Grant support, unrestricted and totaling $520,000, will be extended to projects in all stages of development, production, post-production and audience engagement; grants are made possible by Open Society Foundations and MacArthur Foundation, along with a custom grant provided by A&E IndieFilms: the Sundance Institute | A&E Brave Storytellers Award , for projects which capture an ethos of courageous nonfiction filmmaking. This granting cycle’s supported projects come from nineteen countries across five continents, with just over 50% originating from outside the U.S. Grant funds are in addition to the Institute’s Respond & Reimagine Fund, announced earlier this year.”

Study Shows 70% of Consumers Would Rather Watch New Movies at HomeAdam B. Vary noted the study at Variety: “Anxiety over health and safety in public spaces still greatly outweighs the desire to leave home, and that disparity has only gotten larger as the pandemic has unfolded. The results — from a survey of roughly 1,000 people in mid-May by sports and events analytics firm Performance Research, in partnership with Full Circle Research Co. — point to just how steep a climb the entertainment industry has in front of it to win back public perception that it’s safe to attend, and spend money on, public events again. Take this answer to the question of whether respondents would rather see a first-run feature as a digital rental at home or in a movie theater, if both were available today: A whopping 70% say they are more likely to watch from their couch, while just 13% say they are more likely to watch at a local cinema (with 17% not sure).”

Are Virtual Theaters Here to Stay?With much uncertainty ahead, Vadim Rizov posed the question at Filmmaker Magazine: “As exhibitors and distributors initially adjusted to no theatrical releases for the unforeseeable future, the first films to pivot to a full ‘virtual cinema’ release strategy, initially conceived as an emergency relief measure, had already started their platform theatrical releases. Scroll through a cross-section of US arthouses’ websites and a core canon of starter titles emerges: BACURAU, SAINT FRANCES, THE WILD GOOSE LAKE and breakout niche documentary FANTASTIC FUNGI are common among the films offered online by many arthouse theaters, mingling alongside NEON’s more-recently-launched Spaceship Earth and Grasshopper Film’s Fourteen. In addition to featuring the titles on their websites, theaters contribute promotion through their mailing lists and memberships. As the virtual theatrical concept has taken off, many venues are now showing more films than they could physically accommodate in their brick-and-mortar spaces, even throwing some repertory options into the mix. Will virtual theatrical become its own release window — a complement to the traditional theatrical release window and, potentially, even, a new first home video window before regular TVOD (transactional video-on-demand) and SVOD (subscription video-on-demand) — on a permanent basis, even when and if theaters return to normal?”

MUBI Announces Online Library Is Now OpenAnnounced via press release: “Our LIBRARY is now open. Today, we open our LIBRARY. A huge, brand new section of MUBI. Full of hundreds of incredible films. Films you missed the first time we picked them. Films you can discover all over again. Films you never even knew existed. From MUBI specials and retrospectives, to our double-bills and other exclusives. All hand-picked by us. As always. LIBRARY is included with a MUBI membership. You can explore right now, on our website. And very soon on our Apple and Android apps.”

European Doc Distributors Speculate on Post-Pandemic Market at DocudaysLauren Wissot reported on the online Docudays event for Documentary Magazine: “One of the most jarring aspects of the global pandemic is the rapidity with which every part of life as we know it has been upended, forcing us to nimbly pivot at the drop of a hat. And the film world, of course, has not been spared the disease’s speedy domino effect, nor its subsequent demands. This seemed to be the consensus among the array of international panelists streamed in live from lockdown in their various home countries to participate in a DOCU/CLASS titled ‘International market after the quarantine: how to distribute documentary films tomorrow?’ at this year’s 17th Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival's all-digital edition.”

DOC BOOKS

THE PROCESS GENRE: CINEMA AND THE AESTHETIC OF LABOR
By Salomé Aguilera Skvirsky

"From IKEA assembly guides and 'hands and pans' cooking videos on social media to Mister Rogers's classic factory tours, representations of the step-by-step fabrication of objects and food are ubiquitous in popular media. In The Process Genre, Salomé Aguilera Skvirsky introduces and theorizes the process genre—a heretofore unacknowledged and untheorized transmedial genre characterized by its representation of chronologically ordered steps in which some form of labor results in a finished product...By visualizing technique and absorbing viewers into the actions of social actors and machines, industrial, educational, ethnographic, and other process films stake out diverse ideological positions on the meaning of labor and on a society's level of technological development. In systematically theorizing a genre familiar to anyone with access to a screen, Skvirsky opens up new possibilities for film theory."

Open City To Livestream FRONTIERLAND: SHORTS SeriesAnnounced via press release: “Join us for an online screening of a programme of short works, the first event in a planned larger series entitled FRONTIERLAND, curated by Pamela Cohn and Open City Documentary Festival. FRONTIERLAND is a multi-event film series that was due to take place during Summer 2020, but with cinemas closed, we currently cannot proceed as planned. With borders closed and people’s movement across the world restricted, the themes of the programme feel even more pertinent and so we decided to move the first event of the series online, (streaming live on Weds May 27th, 7pm BST), remaining ever hopeful that soon we will all be able to meet in the cinemas again.”

Full Frame Receives Grant Support From The AcademyAnnounced via press release: “Full Frame would like to thank the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for selecting us as the only North Carolina-based grant recipient this year. In total, $2.5 million in grant support was distributed among 96 organizations. Through their generous support, we are able to further our mission of presenting the best of documentary film, in addition to bolstering our year-round initiatives, including education...In addition, the Academy recently updated their documentary feature qualifications to include films that have been accepted into one of just nine film festivals – including Full Frame! We’re honored to be a part of the select group of film events.”

DOK Leipzig Industry Programme 2020 Moves OnlineAnnounced via press release: “DOK Leipzig’s Industry Programme will be held online this year. We will present all key events of DOK Industry in virtual form in late October: The DOK Co-Pro Market, as will the presentations of DOK Preview, the DOK Short n’ Sweet short film pitch, the DOK Interactive Conference, networking events and talks. This decision is a clear reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions and hygiene measures. But these new circumstances create room for innovation on a sustainable basis, explains Head of DOK Industry Brigid O’Shea: ‘Our work as we know it, and by extension, the work of the whole audiovisual sector, will never be the same again. We are acutely aware of the challenges facing film professionals in these times. Nonetheless, we look forward to writing a new chapter in the future of film markets: greener, more efficient, more inclusive.’”

MISCELLANEOUS

Firelight Documentary Lab Open Call 2020Announced via press release: “The Firelight Media Documentary Lab is an 18-month fellowship program that supports filmmakers from racially and ethnically underrepresented communities working on their first or second feature length documentary film. The Lab provides filmmakers with customized mentorship from prominent leaders in the documentary world, funding, professional development workshops and networking opportunities. We are looking for applicants who make artful and innovative documentary films that focus on underrepresented communities and provide new narratives about the most pressing issues of our time. Firelight will consider all types of long form documentary projects - historical, investigative, personal, vérité, and experimental. Firelight utilizes the Core Documentary Application. As part of your submission, you will need to share a work sample no less than 10 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes. If you are submitting a longer rough cut, please indicate in your application which 10-30 mins you’d like for us to review. The deadline for all submissions is June 22, 2020, 11:59 PM Eastern.”

Eye Openers: 10 Images From WOMEN MAKE FILMMark Cousins reflects on the development of WOMEN MAKE FILM: A ROAD MOVIE THROUGH CINEMA, his new 14 hour documentary, at Sight & Sound: “I’m not sure when I first became interested in films directed by women. Maybe it was in 1993 when, as a programmer at the Edinburgh Film Festival, I saw Antonia Bird’s realist masterpiece Safe. Antonia then asked me to join a production company she was setting up. I’d read the feminist film theorists Laura Mulvey and Annette Kuhn by then, and then came across Cari Beauchamp’s 1997 book Without Lying Down, about the screenwriter Frances Marion and the other powerful women in early Hollywood...Years passed. Weinstein happened. #MeToo grew. I’m sure some people would have wanted us to reference these events in WOMEN MAKE FILM, but we stuck to our plan to show the work, the art. This would be our contribution, our shoulder to the wheel. Others were better at talking about the more theoretical aspects, such as the female gaze.”

Film Academy Considering Postponing 2021 OscarsMarc Malkin broke the news at Variety: “The 93rd Oscars aren’t until February, but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering postponing the big night, according to multiple sources. The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, say definitive plans are far from being concrete at this juncture. The telecast is currently set for Feb. 28, 2021, on ABC. ‘It’s likely they’ll be postponed,’ one of the sources familiar with the matter told Variety. However, that person cautioned that the details, including potential new dates, have not been fully discussed or formally proposed yet. Another source says the date is currently unchanged at ABC. When new temporary rule changes for Oscar eligibility were announced in April because of COVID-19, Academy president David Rubin told Variety it was too soon to know how the 2021 Oscar telecast could change in the wake of the pandemic.”

NEW RELEASES

There were five big doc releases this week: Benjamin Ree's Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF, which is now on Hulu; Pia Hellenthal's CPH:DOX hit SEARCHING EVA, which debuted on MUBI; Elizabeth Carroll's DIANA KENNEDY: NOTHING FANCY and Amy Goldstein's KATE NASH: UNDERESTIMATE THE GIRL, both DOC NYC alums available via virtual cinemas; the first part of Marina Zenovich's bio miniseries arrived via ESPN; and the headline making confessional AKA JANE ROE by Nick Sweeney, which debuted on FX and is now streaming on Hulu.

D.W. Young's THE BOOKSELLERSDOC NYC PRO - Only In New York
Will be released on VOD services on June 5th.

FEATURED STREAMING DOC SHORT

OUR IRANIAN LOCKDOWN
Directed by Sara Khaki & Mohammad Reza Eyni"A rare glimpse into the lives of a young couple in lockdown in Iran. The news of coronavirus spreading in Tehran is the backdrop one couple's changing life. They are faced with the grief of losing a family member and the hope of Persian new year."

FUND THIS PROJECT

Crowdfunding has become an integral means of raising capital for documentary filmmakers around the globe. Each week we feature a promising new project that needs your help to cross that critical crowdfunding finish line.

As I type this, I'm sitting on my porch watching the sun set, slightly burned from gardening without practicing proper sun safety. Yesterday, my wife and I did some grilling and sat by a fire in our backyard. Last week it snowed. It's a bit hard to process, but here we are. Inside, there has been much to enjoy this week as well, with MUBI announcing the launch of its new and expansive always available Library, Open City Docs' plans to livestream its FRONTIERLAND: SHORTS series, and six big docs have found their way online via various outlets. And if you haven't been keeping up, there has been a recently released study showing folks are 70% more likely to check out new first release films from home rather than a cinema, which is somewhat unsurprising given the current situation, though disappointing none-the-less. With this in mind, Vadim Rizov (and likely the film industry in general) have begun to ask, "Are virtual theaters here to stay?" Only time will tell, so read ahead for some thoughts on the matter and much else!

Join DOC NYC PRO for its next Immersive webinar program, a two-session deep dive into social impact producing and audience engagement in the pandemic context. Guests include a slate of independent impact producers from around the world, including Mariana Ribeiro in Brazil (THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY, THE NIGHTCRAWLERS); Ani Mercedes in Miami (Looky Looky Pictures) and Gwendolyn Alston from MocaMedia, in Spain. We’re also joined by those forwarding social impact from inside organizations: Darcy Heusel at NEON; Tricia Finneran at Good Pitch Local; Denae Peters at Perspective Fund; and Max Steinman from Exposure Labs.

Tickets are $10 and include both sessions; registrants may participate in both sessions live and will also have access to the recorded session and a written transcript after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable.

On Episode 5, Marc Levin discusses his Quibi series I PROMISE about an Ohio grade school backed by Lebron James; and the directors of CRIP CAMP, Jim Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham discuss their history of the disability rights movement that won the Sundance Audience Prize and is now on Netflix.

HEADLINES

Sundance Institute Announces Latest Documentary Fund GranteesAnnounced via press release: “Sundance Institute today named the global cohort of 22 independent nonfiction filmmakers and their projects that comprise the latest Grantees of the Institute’s Documentary Fund. Grant support, unrestricted and totaling $520,000, will be extended to projects in all stages of development, production, post-production and audience engagement; grants are made possible by Open Society Foundations and MacArthur Foundation, along with a custom grant provided by A&E IndieFilms: the Sundance Institute | A&E Brave Storytellers Award , for projects which capture an ethos of courageous nonfiction filmmaking. This granting cycle’s supported projects come from nineteen countries across five continents, with just over 50% originating from outside the U.S. Grant funds are in addition to the Institute’s Respond & Reimagine Fund, announced earlier this year.”

Study Shows 70% of Consumers Would Rather Watch New Movies at HomeAdam B. Vary noted the study at Variety: “Anxiety over health and safety in public spaces still greatly outweighs the desire to leave home, and that disparity has only gotten larger as the pandemic has unfolded. The results — from a survey of roughly 1,000 people in mid-May by sports and events analytics firm Performance Research, in partnership with Full Circle Research Co. — point to just how steep a climb the entertainment industry has in front of it to win back public perception that it’s safe to attend, and spend money on, public events again. Take this answer to the question of whether respondents would rather see a first-run feature as a digital rental at home or in a movie theater, if both were available today: A whopping 70% say they are more likely to watch from their couch, while just 13% say they are more likely to watch at a local cinema (with 17% not sure).”

Are Virtual Theaters Here to Stay?With much uncertainty ahead, Vadim Rizov posed the question at Filmmaker Magazine: “As exhibitors and distributors initially adjusted to no theatrical releases for the unforeseeable future, the first films to pivot to a full ‘virtual cinema’ release strategy, initially conceived as an emergency relief measure, had already started their platform theatrical releases. Scroll through a cross-section of US arthouses’ websites and a core canon of starter titles emerges: BACURAU, SAINT FRANCES, THE WILD GOOSE LAKE and breakout niche documentary FANTASTIC FUNGI are common among the films offered online by many arthouse theaters, mingling alongside NEON’s more-recently-launched Spaceship Earth and Grasshopper Film’s Fourteen. In addition to featuring the titles on their websites, theaters contribute promotion through their mailing lists and memberships. As the virtual theatrical concept has taken off, many venues are now showing more films than they could physically accommodate in their brick-and-mortar spaces, even throwing some repertory options into the mix. Will virtual theatrical become its own release window — a complement to the traditional theatrical release window and, potentially, even, a new first home video window before regular TVOD (transactional video-on-demand) and SVOD (subscription video-on-demand) — on a permanent basis, even when and if theaters return to normal?”

MUBI Announces Online Library Is Now OpenAnnounced via press release: “Our LIBRARY is now open. Today, we open our LIBRARY. A huge, brand new section of MUBI. Full of hundreds of incredible films. Films you missed the first time we picked them. Films you can discover all over again. Films you never even knew existed. From MUBI specials and retrospectives, to our double-bills and other exclusives. All hand-picked by us. As always. LIBRARY is included with a MUBI membership. You can explore right now, on our website. And very soon on our Apple and Android apps.”

European Doc Distributors Speculate on Post-Pandemic Market at DocudaysLauren Wissot reported on the online Docudays event for Documentary Magazine: “One of the most jarring aspects of the global pandemic is the rapidity with which every part of life as we know it has been upended, forcing us to nimbly pivot at the drop of a hat. And the film world, of course, has not been spared the disease’s speedy domino effect, nor its subsequent demands. This seemed to be the consensus among the array of international panelists streamed in live from lockdown in their various home countries to participate in a DOCU/CLASS titled ‘International market after the quarantine: how to distribute documentary films tomorrow?’ at this year’s 17th Docudays UA International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival's all-digital edition.”

DOC BOOKS

THE PROCESS GENRE: CINEMA AND THE AESTHETIC OF LABOR
By Salomé Aguilera Skvirsky

"From IKEA assembly guides and 'hands and pans' cooking videos on social media to Mister Rogers's classic factory tours, representations of the step-by-step fabrication of objects and food are ubiquitous in popular media. In The Process Genre, Salomé Aguilera Skvirsky introduces and theorizes the process genre—a heretofore unacknowledged and untheorized transmedial genre characterized by its representation of chronologically ordered steps in which some form of labor results in a finished product...By visualizing technique and absorbing viewers into the actions of social actors and machines, industrial, educational, ethnographic, and other process films stake out diverse ideological positions on the meaning of labor and on a society's level of technological development. In systematically theorizing a genre familiar to anyone with access to a screen, Skvirsky opens up new possibilities for film theory."

Open City To Livestream FRONTIERLAND: SHORTS SeriesAnnounced via press release: “Join us for an online screening of a programme of short works, the first event in a planned larger series entitled FRONTIERLAND, curated by Pamela Cohn and Open City Documentary Festival. FRONTIERLAND is a multi-event film series that was due to take place during Summer 2020, but with cinemas closed, we currently cannot proceed as planned. With borders closed and people’s movement across the world restricted, the themes of the programme feel even more pertinent and so we decided to move the first event of the series online, (streaming live on Weds May 27th, 7pm BST), remaining ever hopeful that soon we will all be able to meet in the cinemas again.”

Full Frame Receives Grant Support From The AcademyAnnounced via press release: “Full Frame would like to thank the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for selecting us as the only North Carolina-based grant recipient this year. In total, $2.5 million in grant support was distributed among 96 organizations. Through their generous support, we are able to further our mission of presenting the best of documentary film, in addition to bolstering our year-round initiatives, including education...In addition, the Academy recently updated their documentary feature qualifications to include films that have been accepted into one of just nine film festivals – including Full Frame! We’re honored to be a part of the select group of film events.”

DOK Leipzig Industry Programme 2020 Moves OnlineAnnounced via press release: “DOK Leipzig’s Industry Programme will be held online this year. We will present all key events of DOK Industry in virtual form in late October: The DOK Co-Pro Market, as will the presentations of DOK Preview, the DOK Short n’ Sweet short film pitch, the DOK Interactive Conference, networking events and talks. This decision is a clear reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions and hygiene measures. But these new circumstances create room for innovation on a sustainable basis, explains Head of DOK Industry Brigid O’Shea: ‘Our work as we know it, and by extension, the work of the whole audiovisual sector, will never be the same again. We are acutely aware of the challenges facing film professionals in these times. Nonetheless, we look forward to writing a new chapter in the future of film markets: greener, more efficient, more inclusive.’”

MISCELLANEOUS

Firelight Documentary Lab Open Call 2020Announced via press release: “The Firelight Media Documentary Lab is an 18-month fellowship program that supports filmmakers from racially and ethnically underrepresented communities working on their first or second feature length documentary film. The Lab provides filmmakers with customized mentorship from prominent leaders in the documentary world, funding, professional development workshops and networking opportunities. We are looking for applicants who make artful and innovative documentary films that focus on underrepresented communities and provide new narratives about the most pressing issues of our time. Firelight will consider all types of long form documentary projects - historical, investigative, personal, vérité, and experimental. Firelight utilizes the Core Documentary Application. As part of your submission, you will need to share a work sample no less than 10 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes. If you are submitting a longer rough cut, please indicate in your application which 10-30 mins you’d like for us to review. The deadline for all submissions is June 22, 2020, 11:59 PM Eastern.”

Eye Openers: 10 Images From WOMEN MAKE FILMMark Cousins reflects on the development of WOMEN MAKE FILM: A ROAD MOVIE THROUGH CINEMA, his new 14 hour documentary, at Sight & Sound: “I’m not sure when I first became interested in films directed by women. Maybe it was in 1993 when, as a programmer at the Edinburgh Film Festival, I saw Antonia Bird’s realist masterpiece Safe. Antonia then asked me to join a production company she was setting up. I’d read the feminist film theorists Laura Mulvey and Annette Kuhn by then, and then came across Cari Beauchamp’s 1997 book Without Lying Down, about the screenwriter Frances Marion and the other powerful women in early Hollywood...Years passed. Weinstein happened. #MeToo grew. I’m sure some people would have wanted us to reference these events in WOMEN MAKE FILM, but we stuck to our plan to show the work, the art. This would be our contribution, our shoulder to the wheel. Others were better at talking about the more theoretical aspects, such as the female gaze.”

Film Academy Considering Postponing 2021 OscarsMarc Malkin broke the news at Variety: “The 93rd Oscars aren’t until February, but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is considering postponing the big night, according to multiple sources. The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, say definitive plans are far from being concrete at this juncture. The telecast is currently set for Feb. 28, 2021, on ABC. ‘It’s likely they’ll be postponed,’ one of the sources familiar with the matter told Variety. However, that person cautioned that the details, including potential new dates, have not been fully discussed or formally proposed yet. Another source says the date is currently unchanged at ABC. When new temporary rule changes for Oscar eligibility were announced in April because of COVID-19, Academy president David Rubin told Variety it was too soon to know how the 2021 Oscar telecast could change in the wake of the pandemic.”

NEW RELEASES

There were five big doc releases this week: Benjamin Ree's Sundance Grand Jury Prize winning THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF, which is now on Hulu; Pia Hellenthal's CPH:DOX hit SEARCHING EVA, which debuted on MUBI; Elizabeth Carroll's DIANA KENNEDY: NOTHING FANCY and Amy Goldstein's KATE NASH: UNDERESTIMATE THE GIRL, both DOC NYC alums available via virtual cinemas; the first part of Marina Zenovich's bio miniseries arrived via ESPN; and the headline making confessional AKA JANE ROE by Nick Sweeney, which debuted on FX and is now streaming on Hulu.

D.W. Young's THE BOOKSELLERSDOC NYC PRO - Only In New York
Will be released on VOD services on June 5th.

FEATURED STREAMING DOC SHORT

OUR IRANIAN LOCKDOWN
Directed by Sara Khaki & Mohammad Reza Eyni"A rare glimpse into the lives of a young couple in lockdown in Iran. The news of coronavirus spreading in Tehran is the backdrop one couple's changing life. They are faced with the grief of losing a family member and the hope of Persian new year."

FUND THIS PROJECT

Crowdfunding has become an integral means of raising capital for documentary filmmakers around the globe. Each week we feature a promising new project that needs your help to cross that critical crowdfunding finish line.

]]>Mon, 25 May 2020 15:30:00 +0000https://mailchi.mp/docnyc.net/mondaymemo-2020-05-18
https://mailchi.mp/docnyc.net/mondaymemo-2020-05-18Monday Memo: Film Festivals Are Creating a Better Future, A Guide to Filming in the Time of Corona & Critics Mourn Cancellation of Cannes 2020Your weekly rundown of all the latest documentary news from the festival circuit, awards season commentators, new releases and beyond.

Greetings folks. I wanted to try something new today, so let's begin with haiku, which, according to Google, is supposed to emphasize "simplicity, intensity, and directness of expression." The form feels fitting for these weirdly insular and tense times.

We've been stuck at home.
Eyes on the news with gloved hands.
Movies, please bring us joy.

Over the last two months I've been watching recent docs like Spaceship Earth, Feast of the Epiphany and the finally released online In Transit in between episodes of The Sopranos, which I'd never felt like I had the time to watch before. I hope that in the midst of all this chaos you've been able to take comfort in cinema in its many forms. They've been helping keep my mind off the news (though not documentary news!). Speaking of news, there is plenty of doc news to report, but before we get to that I'd love to hear what films or shows you've been enjoying. Drop me a tweet (@Rectangular_Eye) if you feel like sharing.

In this week's memo there's a few examinations of how festivals have been adapting during this time, including one piece by DOC NYC artistic director Thom Powers. On the filmmaking side of things, Doc Society, Field of Vision and Sundance Institute put together a comprehensive, thoughtful guide to filming in the era of corona virus. Plus, critics mourn the cancellation of Cannes 2020, SXSW is taking its Virtual Cinema arm online, and Hot Docs announced its award winners. And as usual, that's not all. Read on, keep safe and keep watching!

Join DOC NYC PRO for its next Immersive webinar program, a two-session deep dive into an extremely timely topic: the process of editing and finishing a film when all work must be done remotely. Guests include editor Carla Gutierrez (RBG, PRAY AWAY, THE LAST OUT); director/producer Alysa Nahmias (THE NEW BAUHAUS, UNREST, UNFINISHED SPACES); Eric Johnson of Trailblazer Studios; and Joe Beirne from Technicolor - PostWorks.

Tickets are $10 and include both sessions; registrants may participate in both sessions live and will also have access to a recording and full transcript of the session after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable.

On Episode 4, Nadia Hallgren talks about her Netflix documentary BECOMING about Michelle Obama. Marc Levin discusses his Quibi series I PROMISE about an Ohio grade school backed by Lebron James. And Nelson George reflects on interviewing our elders after his father’s death from COVID-19.

HEADLINES

Film Festivals Aren’t Just Surviving Online, They’re Creating a Better FutureAt IndieWire, our artistic director Thom Powers examined how film festivals around the world have adjusted to the COVID19 pandemic: “Right now, every film festival shares the same ambition: Get smarter about how to connect with audiences online. In the coming weeks, Hot Docs, Human Rights Watch, and AFI DOCS will present online lineups; at DOC NYC, where I’m the artistic director, we are busily adapting to new realities for our November festival. We’ve also seen online festivals inspire pessimism from some sales agents and programmers — but we don’t have time for that kind of thinking. Many filmmakers can’t hold back their work until next year, when competition will only increase for premiere slots and buyer attention, and many festivals can’t wait because they will cease to exist without revenue. We all need to keep getting smarter, faster. While we all want to get back into theaters, the public is swiftly adapting to watch online content non-stop. Everyone from health care workers to dancers are finding ways to creatively connect; festivals must, too. So what’s needed as we move forward?”

For Film Festivals, the New Normal Means Less Face Time and More AccessIn another piece at IndieWire, Chris Lindahl echoes Thom’s assertion: “As the industry struggles to figure out how to persevere through these strange times, leaders are also embracing their new virtual reality. Even after it’s safe to hold in-person events, expect post-pandemic programming to offer increased access — maybe by creating more virtual events alongside in-person ones, or introducing online components at festivals or conferences where geography and cost historically limit access. After all, virtual connection has its own benefits: When travel means walking to your webcam, organizations and participants can save on airfare and encourage a wider range of speakers from around the globe. The same is true for attendees, which could mean greater exposure for emerging filmmakers.”

Independent Documentary Filming in the Time of CoronaDoc Society, Field of Vision and Sundance Institute have co-authored a comprehensive guide on the subject of filming during a pandemic: “Many independent documentary filmmakers are asking themselves, each other and organizations like ours, whether or not it is possible to film safely, given how infectious the COVID-19 virus is. The virus raises significant safety and ethical issues around the responsibilities we owe not only to our colleagues and subjects but also to our family, friends and the wider community. This is a rapidly changing situation, with policy, law, medical practice and scientific understanding in flux in every country in the world. This presents unique challenges for routine safety assessments. But it is also a long term reality. Past this initial lock down phase, other spikes and lock downs may occur and the consequences of potential virus spreading will need to be part of filmmakers risk assessments for, at minimum, another year, perhaps more. Perhaps it will change our risk assessments forever. With that in mind, we offer this protocol to help guide documentary filmmakers' assessment process.”

POC Doc Filmmakers Are Struggling to Find Support During the PandemicTambay Obenson reports for IndieWire: “The pandemic has brought the film industry to a standstill, leaving many director uncertain when they can get back to work. The last few weeks have been particularly hard for filmmakers from marginalized communities, especially those from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds. No one probably knows this struggle better than award-winning documentarian Stanley Nelson (THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION, FREEDOM RIDERS) and writer-producer Marcia Smith. The pair, who co-founded Harlem-based non-profit Firelight Media have been conducting outreach within their creative community. Using surveys and focus groups, the organization has been evaluating how filmmakers of color can move forward in an even more unstable economic environment than they are accustomed to.”

Jeffrey Katzenberg Blames Pandemic for Quibi’s Rough StartNicole Sperling reported on Quibi for The New York Times: “Jeffrey Katzenberg hasn’t left his Beverly Hills home in nearly 50 days. Deprived of a frenetic schedule that, before the coronavirus pandemic, typically meant three breakfast meetings, three lunch meetings and a working dinner, the veteran executive has filled his days with what he calls ‘Zoom-a-roo’ videoconferences as he tries to rejigger Quibi, the streaming app he started with Meg Whitman a little more than a month ago. Downloads have been anemic, despite a lineup that includes producers and stars like Jennifer Lopez, LeBron James, Idris Elba, Steven Spielberg and Chrissy Teigen. The service, which offers entertainment and news programs in five- to 10-minute chunks, was designed to be watched on the go by people who are too busy to sit down and stream TV shows or movies. It came out when millions of people were not going anywhere because of stay-at-home orders across the country. ‘I attribute everything that has gone wrong to coronavirus,’ Mr. Katzenberg said in a video interview. ‘Everything. But we own it.’”

DOC BOOKS

IN FADING LIGHT: THE FILMS OF THE AMBER COLLECTIVE
By James Leggott

"For over five decades, the Newcastle-based Amber Film and Photography Collective has been a critical (if often unheralded) force within British documentary filmmaking, producing a variety of innovative works focused on working-class society. Situating their acclaimed output within wider social, political, and historical contexts, In Fading Light provides an accessible introduction to Amber’s output from both national and transnational perspectives, including experimental, low-budget documentaries in the 1970s; more prominent feature films in the 1980s; studies of post-industrial life in the 1990s; and the distinctive perils and opportunities posed by the digital era."

SXSW 2020 Virtual Cinema on Oculus TV Launching Globally May 22Announced via press release: “SXSW announced the May 22, 2020 global launch of their new collaboration, SXSW 2020 Virtual Cinema on Oculus TV. This event will present seven 360 projects that were entered into the SXSW Virtual Cinema Competition, prior to its cancellation by the City of Austin due to concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of these works showcases how virtual reality can take users to places they can't go and experience stories alongside the storytellers, in a time when so many people are isolated or socially distancing. Participating projects will be available on Oculus TV from May 22-31, 2020.”

PRAYER FOR A LOST MITTEN, STRAY Take Top Prizes at Hot Docs ’20Jillian Morgan covered the awards for Realscreen: “Jean-François Lesage’s PRAYER FOR A LOST MITTEN took home the Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award at the 2020 Hot Docs competition. PRAYER FOR A LOST MITTEN portrays individuals who claim their belongings at the Montreal Metro lost and found. The award, sponsored by the Documentary Organization of Canada and Telefilm Canada, includes a CA$5,000 prize. A total of 11 awards and $42,000 in cash and prizes were announced Thursday (May 14), including awards for official selections in the competition and those recognizing emerging and established filmmakers.”

A Year Without Cannes: Why It Hurts to Lose a Festival That Can’t Be ReplacedDavid Ehrlich, Eric Kohn, and Anne Thompson mourn the cancellation of Cannes 2020 at IndieWire: “Today marks what would have been the first day of the 73rd Cannes Film Festival. Instead, it’s just another Tuesday in purgatory — some things can still hit like a punch to the gut even when you see them coming two months in advance. The film world was supposed to be gathering together along the French Riviera to dress fancy (bowties and heels or else!), drink rosé, and watch the latest work from internationally beloved auteurs like Wes Anderson, Spike Lee, Leos Carax, and Mia Hansen-Love. No one is asking you to weep for us, and it goes without saying that we all have bigger things on our minds at the moment.”

What Do We Lose When Cannes Is Canceled?Kyle Buchanan, Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott also mourned the festival’s cancellation in The New York Times: “So much for the victory lap. After a superlative 2019 edition of Cannes that launched Bong Joon Ho’s PARASITE — the first Palme d’Or winner in 64 years to also take the best-picture Oscar — expectations were sky high for this year’s festival, which was meant to begin in mid-May. But as a pandemic continues to hold the world hostage, it became unthinkable to proceed with a two-week gathering that draws film glitterati from all over the globe and hurls them into a couture-clad mosh pit. So, Cannes is effectively canceled, with organizers hoping to regroup somewhere down the line. Manohla and Tony, you both know your way around the world’s most prestigious film festival. What is lost when Cannes is stricken from the calendar?”

MISCELLANEOUS

Logan Nonfiction Program Fall 2020 Fellowship Calls For ApplicationsAnnounced via press release: “The Logan Nonfiction Program offers two fellowship classes per year—one in the fall (October-December) and one in the spring (February-April). We welcome between 10-20 nonfiction writers, documentary filmmakers, photojournalists, podcasters and multimedia creators per class. Fellows are provided lodging, meals, workspace, professional guidance and community. Fellowships range between 5-10 weeks and take place on the Carey Institute for Global Good’s historic 100-acre campus in upstate New York. NOTE: We are currently accepting applications for our Fall 2020 class until June 1. However, if social distancing rules are still in place due to COVID-19, we will be honoring all accepted applicants for the Spring or Fall 2021 classes.”

IDA Documentary Awards Call For EntriesAnnounced via press release: “The IDA Documentary Awards is the world's most prestigious event dedicated to the documentary genre, celebrating the best nonfiction films and programs of the year. It seeks to represent excellence in the documentary field from around the world, by emerging and established docmakers. 2020 Call For Entries Opens Monday, May 18!”

Korean Cinemas Test Contact-Free Tech for the Post-Coronavirus EraSonia Kil reports for Variety: "Contact-free technology is being deployed at many of South Korea’s multiplexes as theater chains attempt to define a new normal in the post-coronavirus era. The country’s number one exhibition player CJ-CGV turned its Yeouido branch into a completely contactless, ‘untact’ in local jargon, theater in April. To accommodate local audiences’ growing fear of physical contact with strangers, including cinema staff, the exhibitor giant replaced its human staff with AI robots, automated kiosks and mobile app services. Cinemagoers no longer need to encounter a human staff member to reserve, pick up, or scan their tickets. Snack bars have been replaced with LED-controlled pick-up boxes which deliver food items ordered through CGV’s app.”

Netflix Has Some Great Music Documentaries. Here Are 11 of Them.Noel Murray lists his favorite Netflix music docs for The New York Times: “Pop, rock and R&B fans will find a decent assortment of top-shelf concert films on Netflix, including SPRINGSTEEN ON BROADWAY, Beyoncé’s HOMECOMING and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE + THE TENNESSEE KIDS. But performances alone don’t tell the fuller story of a musical act or a cultural movement. For that, you need a good documentary, combining exciting old footage with probing new interviews, and putting an artist into proper context. Netflix is currently streaming a healthy assortment of good music docs. Here are 11 of the best.”

NEW RELEASES

Newly available online are Grace Lee's 3-part series ASIAN AMERICANS is live at PBS, Pat McGee's BERNIE BLACKOUT: THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED is available via Vice, and the Netflix doc series TRIAL BY MEDIA (directed by Skye Borgman, Garrett Bradley, Yance Ford, Brian McGinn, Sierra Pettengill and Tony Yacenda) is now streaming.

CONTAINER
Directed by Daphne Matziaraki"In unimaginable times (like the one we’re currently in), our bonds with one another can be life saving. In Daphne Matziaraki’s intimate new Op-Doc, CONTAINER those bonds keep unaccompanied minors together as they face a daunting future. They’ve lost their family to war and other traumatic circumstances, and after long journeys, arrive to overflowing and often dangerous migrant camps. There, they form a new community, finding solace in one another as they face a harsh system."

FUND THIS PROJECT

Crowdfunding has become an integral means of raising capital for documentary filmmakers around the globe. Each week we feature a promising new project that needs your help to cross that critical crowdfunding finish line.

]]>Monday Memo: Film Festivals Are Creating a Better Future, A Guide to Filming in the Time of Corona & Critics Mourn Cancellation of Cannes 2020Your weekly rundown of all the latest documentary news from the festival circuit, awards season commentators, new releases and beyond.

Greetings folks. I wanted to try something new today, so let's begin with haiku, which, according to Google, is supposed to emphasize "simplicity, intensity, and directness of expression." The form feels fitting for these weirdly insular and tense times.

We've been stuck at home.
Eyes on the news with gloved hands.
Movies, please bring us joy.

Over the last two months I've been watching recent docs like Spaceship Earth, Feast of the Epiphany and the finally released online In Transit in between episodes of The Sopranos, which I'd never felt like I had the time to watch before. I hope that in the midst of all this chaos you've been able to take comfort in cinema in its many forms. They've been helping keep my mind off the news (though not documentary news!). Speaking of news, there is plenty of doc news to report, but before we get to that I'd love to hear what films or shows you've been enjoying. Drop me a tweet (@Rectangular_Eye) if you feel like sharing.

In this week's memo there's a few examinations of how festivals have been adapting during this time, including one piece by DOC NYC artistic director Thom Powers. On the filmmaking side of things, Doc Society, Field of Vision and Sundance Institute put together a comprehensive, thoughtful guide to filming in the era of corona virus. Plus, critics mourn the cancellation of Cannes 2020, SXSW is taking its Virtual Cinema arm online, and Hot Docs announced its award winners. And as usual, that's not all. Read on, keep safe and keep watching!

Join DOC NYC PRO for its next Immersive webinar program, a two-session deep dive into an extremely timely topic: the process of editing and finishing a film when all work must be done remotely. Guests include editor Carla Gutierrez (RBG, PRAY AWAY, THE LAST OUT); director/producer Alysa Nahmias (THE NEW BAUHAUS, UNREST, UNFINISHED SPACES); Eric Johnson of Trailblazer Studios; and Joe Beirne from Technicolor - PostWorks.

Tickets are $10 and include both sessions; registrants may participate in both sessions live and will also have access to a recording and full transcript of the session after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable.

On Episode 4, Nadia Hallgren talks about her Netflix documentary BECOMING about Michelle Obama. Marc Levin discusses his Quibi series I PROMISE about an Ohio grade school backed by Lebron James. And Nelson George reflects on interviewing our elders after his father’s death from COVID-19.

HEADLINES

Film Festivals Aren’t Just Surviving Online, They’re Creating a Better FutureAt IndieWire, our artistic director Thom Powers examined how film festivals around the world have adjusted to the COVID19 pandemic: “Right now, every film festival shares the same ambition: Get smarter about how to connect with audiences online. In the coming weeks, Hot Docs, Human Rights Watch, and AFI DOCS will present online lineups; at DOC NYC, where I’m the artistic director, we are busily adapting to new realities for our November festival. We’ve also seen online festivals inspire pessimism from some sales agents and programmers — but we don’t have time for that kind of thinking. Many filmmakers can’t hold back their work until next year, when competition will only increase for premiere slots and buyer attention, and many festivals can’t wait because they will cease to exist without revenue. We all need to keep getting smarter, faster. While we all want to get back into theaters, the public is swiftly adapting to watch online content non-stop. Everyone from health care workers to dancers are finding ways to creatively connect; festivals must, too. So what’s needed as we move forward?”

For Film Festivals, the New Normal Means Less Face Time and More AccessIn another piece at IndieWire, Chris Lindahl echoes Thom’s assertion: “As the industry struggles to figure out how to persevere through these strange times, leaders are also embracing their new virtual reality. Even after it’s safe to hold in-person events, expect post-pandemic programming to offer increased access — maybe by creating more virtual events alongside in-person ones, or introducing online components at festivals or conferences where geography and cost historically limit access. After all, virtual connection has its own benefits: When travel means walking to your webcam, organizations and participants can save on airfare and encourage a wider range of speakers from around the globe. The same is true for attendees, which could mean greater exposure for emerging filmmakers.”

Independent Documentary Filming in the Time of CoronaDoc Society, Field of Vision and Sundance Institute have co-authored a comprehensive guide on the subject of filming during a pandemic: “Many independent documentary filmmakers are asking themselves, each other and organizations like ours, whether or not it is possible to film safely, given how infectious the COVID-19 virus is. The virus raises significant safety and ethical issues around the responsibilities we owe not only to our colleagues and subjects but also to our family, friends and the wider community. This is a rapidly changing situation, with policy, law, medical practice and scientific understanding in flux in every country in the world. This presents unique challenges for routine safety assessments. But it is also a long term reality. Past this initial lock down phase, other spikes and lock downs may occur and the consequences of potential virus spreading will need to be part of filmmakers risk assessments for, at minimum, another year, perhaps more. Perhaps it will change our risk assessments forever. With that in mind, we offer this protocol to help guide documentary filmmakers' assessment process.”

POC Doc Filmmakers Are Struggling to Find Support During the PandemicTambay Obenson reports for IndieWire: “The pandemic has brought the film industry to a standstill, leaving many director uncertain when they can get back to work. The last few weeks have been particularly hard for filmmakers from marginalized communities, especially those from poorer socioeconomic backgrounds. No one probably knows this struggle better than award-winning documentarian Stanley Nelson (THE BLACK PANTHERS: VANGUARD OF THE REVOLUTION, FREEDOM RIDERS) and writer-producer Marcia Smith. The pair, who co-founded Harlem-based non-profit Firelight Media have been conducting outreach within their creative community. Using surveys and focus groups, the organization has been evaluating how filmmakers of color can move forward in an even more unstable economic environment than they are accustomed to.”

Jeffrey Katzenberg Blames Pandemic for Quibi’s Rough StartNicole Sperling reported on Quibi for The New York Times: “Jeffrey Katzenberg hasn’t left his Beverly Hills home in nearly 50 days. Deprived of a frenetic schedule that, before the coronavirus pandemic, typically meant three breakfast meetings, three lunch meetings and a working dinner, the veteran executive has filled his days with what he calls ‘Zoom-a-roo’ videoconferences as he tries to rejigger Quibi, the streaming app he started with Meg Whitman a little more than a month ago. Downloads have been anemic, despite a lineup that includes producers and stars like Jennifer Lopez, LeBron James, Idris Elba, Steven Spielberg and Chrissy Teigen. The service, which offers entertainment and news programs in five- to 10-minute chunks, was designed to be watched on the go by people who are too busy to sit down and stream TV shows or movies. It came out when millions of people were not going anywhere because of stay-at-home orders across the country. ‘I attribute everything that has gone wrong to coronavirus,’ Mr. Katzenberg said in a video interview. ‘Everything. But we own it.’”

DOC BOOKS

IN FADING LIGHT: THE FILMS OF THE AMBER COLLECTIVE
By James Leggott

"For over five decades, the Newcastle-based Amber Film and Photography Collective has been a critical (if often unheralded) force within British documentary filmmaking, producing a variety of innovative works focused on working-class society. Situating their acclaimed output within wider social, political, and historical contexts, In Fading Light provides an accessible introduction to Amber’s output from both national and transnational perspectives, including experimental, low-budget documentaries in the 1970s; more prominent feature films in the 1980s; studies of post-industrial life in the 1990s; and the distinctive perils and opportunities posed by the digital era."

SXSW 2020 Virtual Cinema on Oculus TV Launching Globally May 22Announced via press release: “SXSW announced the May 22, 2020 global launch of their new collaboration, SXSW 2020 Virtual Cinema on Oculus TV. This event will present seven 360 projects that were entered into the SXSW Virtual Cinema Competition, prior to its cancellation by the City of Austin due to concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of these works showcases how virtual reality can take users to places they can't go and experience stories alongside the storytellers, in a time when so many people are isolated or socially distancing. Participating projects will be available on Oculus TV from May 22-31, 2020.”

PRAYER FOR A LOST MITTEN, STRAY Take Top Prizes at Hot Docs ’20Jillian Morgan covered the awards for Realscreen: “Jean-François Lesage’s PRAYER FOR A LOST MITTEN took home the Best Canadian Feature Documentary Award at the 2020 Hot Docs competition. PRAYER FOR A LOST MITTEN portrays individuals who claim their belongings at the Montreal Metro lost and found. The award, sponsored by the Documentary Organization of Canada and Telefilm Canada, includes a CA$5,000 prize. A total of 11 awards and $42,000 in cash and prizes were announced Thursday (May 14), including awards for official selections in the competition and those recognizing emerging and established filmmakers.”

A Year Without Cannes: Why It Hurts to Lose a Festival That Can’t Be ReplacedDavid Ehrlich, Eric Kohn, and Anne Thompson mourn the cancellation of Cannes 2020 at IndieWire: “Today marks what would have been the first day of the 73rd Cannes Film Festival. Instead, it’s just another Tuesday in purgatory — some things can still hit like a punch to the gut even when you see them coming two months in advance. The film world was supposed to be gathering together along the French Riviera to dress fancy (bowties and heels or else!), drink rosé, and watch the latest work from internationally beloved auteurs like Wes Anderson, Spike Lee, Leos Carax, and Mia Hansen-Love. No one is asking you to weep for us, and it goes without saying that we all have bigger things on our minds at the moment.”

What Do We Lose When Cannes Is Canceled?Kyle Buchanan, Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott also mourned the festival’s cancellation in The New York Times: “So much for the victory lap. After a superlative 2019 edition of Cannes that launched Bong Joon Ho’s PARASITE — the first Palme d’Or winner in 64 years to also take the best-picture Oscar — expectations were sky high for this year’s festival, which was meant to begin in mid-May. But as a pandemic continues to hold the world hostage, it became unthinkable to proceed with a two-week gathering that draws film glitterati from all over the globe and hurls them into a couture-clad mosh pit. So, Cannes is effectively canceled, with organizers hoping to regroup somewhere down the line. Manohla and Tony, you both know your way around the world’s most prestigious film festival. What is lost when Cannes is stricken from the calendar?”

MISCELLANEOUS

Logan Nonfiction Program Fall 2020 Fellowship Calls For ApplicationsAnnounced via press release: “The Logan Nonfiction Program offers two fellowship classes per year—one in the fall (October-December) and one in the spring (February-April). We welcome between 10-20 nonfiction writers, documentary filmmakers, photojournalists, podcasters and multimedia creators per class. Fellows are provided lodging, meals, workspace, professional guidance and community. Fellowships range between 5-10 weeks and take place on the Carey Institute for Global Good’s historic 100-acre campus in upstate New York. NOTE: We are currently accepting applications for our Fall 2020 class until June 1. However, if social distancing rules are still in place due to COVID-19, we will be honoring all accepted applicants for the Spring or Fall 2021 classes.”

IDA Documentary Awards Call For EntriesAnnounced via press release: “The IDA Documentary Awards is the world's most prestigious event dedicated to the documentary genre, celebrating the best nonfiction films and programs of the year. It seeks to represent excellence in the documentary field from around the world, by emerging and established docmakers. 2020 Call For Entries Opens Monday, May 18!”

Korean Cinemas Test Contact-Free Tech for the Post-Coronavirus EraSonia Kil reports for Variety: "Contact-free technology is being deployed at many of South Korea’s multiplexes as theater chains attempt to define a new normal in the post-coronavirus era. The country’s number one exhibition player CJ-CGV turned its Yeouido branch into a completely contactless, ‘untact’ in local jargon, theater in April. To accommodate local audiences’ growing fear of physical contact with strangers, including cinema staff, the exhibitor giant replaced its human staff with AI robots, automated kiosks and mobile app services. Cinemagoers no longer need to encounter a human staff member to reserve, pick up, or scan their tickets. Snack bars have been replaced with LED-controlled pick-up boxes which deliver food items ordered through CGV’s app.”

Netflix Has Some Great Music Documentaries. Here Are 11 of Them.Noel Murray lists his favorite Netflix music docs for The New York Times: “Pop, rock and R&B fans will find a decent assortment of top-shelf concert films on Netflix, including SPRINGSTEEN ON BROADWAY, Beyoncé’s HOMECOMING and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE + THE TENNESSEE KIDS. But performances alone don’t tell the fuller story of a musical act or a cultural movement. For that, you need a good documentary, combining exciting old footage with probing new interviews, and putting an artist into proper context. Netflix is currently streaming a healthy assortment of good music docs. Here are 11 of the best.”

NEW RELEASES

Newly available online are Grace Lee's 3-part series ASIAN AMERICANS is live at PBS, Pat McGee's BERNIE BLACKOUT: THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED is available via Vice, and the Netflix doc series TRIAL BY MEDIA (directed by Skye Borgman, Garrett Bradley, Yance Ford, Brian McGinn, Sierra Pettengill and Tony Yacenda) is now streaming.

CONTAINER
Directed by Daphne Matziaraki"In unimaginable times (like the one we’re currently in), our bonds with one another can be life saving. In Daphne Matziaraki’s intimate new Op-Doc, CONTAINER those bonds keep unaccompanied minors together as they face a daunting future. They’ve lost their family to war and other traumatic circumstances, and after long journeys, arrive to overflowing and often dangerous migrant camps. There, they form a new community, finding solace in one another as they face a harsh system."

FUND THIS PROJECT

Crowdfunding has become an integral means of raising capital for documentary filmmakers around the globe. Each week we feature a promising new project that needs your help to cross that critical crowdfunding finish line.

G'morning all (or I guess it's afternoon now?). I'm running a bit behind this week, but I hope this finds you well. As with recent week's organizations like the Miami International Film Festival and the Museum of the Moving Image, both of which recently hosted online premieres of films with interactive participatory elements despite the possibility of in-person events. POV Spark looks to further expand this idea with its newly announced Public Update project, which will be hosting experimental works of nonfiction online. And as TheTimes reports, filmmakers are keeping busy and there are a plethora of newly announced resources included in this week's memo. So, without further ado, read on!

DOC NYC Friday Fix is a new weekly series covering documentary film, hosted by Thom Powers. On Episode 4, Nadia Hallgren talks about her Netflix documentary BECOMING about Michelle Obama. Marc Levin discusses his Quibi series I PROMISE about an Ohio grade school backed by Lebron James. And Nelson George reflects on interviewing our elders after his father’s death from Covid-19.

Join DOC NYC PRO for its next Immersive webinar program, a two-session deep dive into an extremely timely topic: the process of editing and finishing a film when all work must be done remotely. Guests include editor Carla Gutierrez (RBG, PRAY AWAY, THE LAST OUT); director/producer Alysa Nahmias (THE NEW BAUHAUS, UNREST, UNFINISHED SPACES); Eric Johnson of Trailblazer Studios; and Joe Beirne from Technicolor - PostWorks.

Tickets are $10 and include both sessions; registrants may participate in both sessions live and will also have access to a recording and full transcript of the session after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable.

POV Spark Introduces Public UpdateAnnounced via press release: “POV Spark announced today the launch of PUBLIC UPDATE, a new online home for exploratory content about the world around us, driven by and curated for nontraditional voices. The interactive arm of the iconic PBS series, POV Spark will use the platform to acquire and distribute works from independent artists with the hopes of inspiring the next generation of experimental documentary creators. This volume of PUBLIC UPDATE will be on view through October and available for free to U.S. audiences on the American Documentary website.”

First Projects Announced for Hulu/Kartemquin AcceleratorAnnounced via press release: “Kartemquin Films announced the two projects that will participate in the first year of the Hulu/Kartemquin Accelerator: TRACES OF HOME by director Colette Ghunim and TRES FRIDAS by director Reveca Torres. The Accelerator program offers two alumni of Kartemquin’s acclaimed Filmmaker Development Programs $20,000 each towards production, and mentorship through 2020 within the award-winning Kartemquin collaborative production model. The Accelerator program builds upon a successful relationship between Hulu and Kartemquin on the Oscar and Emmy nominated documentary MINDING THE GAP, directed by Bing Liu and produced by Diane Quon, which also won a Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Filmmaking at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Liu originally developed the film through Kartemquin’s Diverse Voices in Docs program, of which both Torres and Ghunim are also graduates.”

Peabody Awards Announces 60 NomineesAnnounced via press release: “The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors has selected 60 nominees that represent the most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and digital media during 2019. The nominees were chosen by unanimous vote of 19 jurors from nearly 1,300 entries from television, radio/podcasts and the web in entertainment, news, documentary, children’s and public service programming. The Peabody Awards are based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.” Twenty films received nominations in the Documentary category.

With Hollywood Productions on Hold, Documentary Filmmakers Keep GoingNicole Sperling reports for The New York Times: “Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer know about putting themselves at risk for their work. While they were shooting thousands of hours of footage for THE SQUARE, the 2013 documentary directed by Ms. Noujaim and produced by Mr. Amer on the popular uprising in Cairo, they were often in the middle of the action in Tahrir Square, where the military shot protesters and dispersed crowds with tear gas. Some of their footage was confiscated, and Ms. Noujaim was arrested and held for 36 hours. Now, amid the coronavirus pandemic, conditions are arguably more difficult, they said. ‘At the height of the revolution, things got pretty chaotic and our office was raided,’ Mr. Amer said. ‘That was a visible threat. You knew when the army was coming for you. This is not like anything we’ve seen before. This is an invisible threat that’s affecting every single member of the production team.’ Still, Ms. Noujaim and Mr. Amer have managed to keep going at a time when Hollywood has closed down film and television productions.”

DOC BOOKS

IN FADING LIGHT: THE FILMS OF THE AMBER COLLECTIVE
By James Leggott

"For over five decades, the Newcastle-based Amber Film and Photography Collective has been a critical (if often unheralded) force within British documentary filmmaking, producing a variety of innovative works focused on working-class society. Situating their acclaimed output within wider social, political, and historical contexts, In Fading Light provides an accessible introduction to Amber’s output from both national and transnational perspectives, including experimental, low-budget documentaries in the 1970s; more prominent feature films in the 1980s; studies of post-industrial life in the 1990s; and the distinctive perils and opportunities posed by the digital era."

AFI DOCS is Going VirtualAnnounced via press release: “The 2020 edition of AFI DOCS is going virtual! AFI announced today that AFI DOCS will showcase current non-fiction fare in a re-imagined online film festival June 17–21. ‘AFI is committed to the documentary art form in the best of times and in the most challenging of times,’ said Michael Lumpkin, Director of AFI Festivals. ‘Now more than ever, we are dedicated to supporting extraordinary films because the world needs stories that educate, inspire hope and remind us of humanity’s strength. AFI DOCS is here to help.’ AFI DOCS 2020 will open with the award-winning Apple and A24 film BOYS STATE, directed by Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, on June 17, followed by a Q&A. The Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning film follows a group of teenage boys at an annual civics program hosted by the American Legion in Austin, Texas, where attendees create a mock government and campaign for leadership and party platforms. Exploring politics through a coming-of-age lens, the result reveals American democracy and political division at its most hopeful and terrifying moments.”

Hot Docs Festival Online Reveals Official SelectionAnnounced via press release: “Hot Docs is pleased to announce that it will launch Hot Docs Festival Online on May 28 to offer at-home viewers a rich array of titles from its 2020 official selection. Ontario audiences will be able to stream films on the recently launched Hot Docs at Home TVOD platform, available at www.hotdocs.ca. Hot Docs Festival Online will run from May 28 to June 6. After the Festival, a majority of titles will be made available for an extended viewing window until June 24, subject to availability.”

Film at Lincoln Center Unveils New Structure & Programming Team for NYFFAnnounced via press release: “Film at Lincoln Center announced today that the 58th New York Film Festival (NYFF), taking place from September 25th through October 11th, will feature changes to the festival’s programming structure and new selection committee and advisory roles. The festival is also exploring a combination of both in-person and digital experiences, as circumstances allow. Since 1963, the New York Film Festival has been a centerpiece of New York’s arts scene: an annual bellwether of the state of cinema that has shaped film culture in the city and beyond. Festival organizers will keep this tradition alive while adapting as necessary to the current health crisis. Film at Lincoln Center will determine the format of the festival this summer, maintaining its commitment and responsibility to films and filmmakers while ensuring that the safety and well-being of our audiences and guests remain our utmost priority. With new leadership in place, the festival’s offerings will be streamlined into five banner sections: Main Slate, Currents, Spotlight, Revivals, and Talks. The Main Slate selection committee has been expanded to five members. The festival is also bringing new voices into its overall curatorial team, which will now, with the goal of expanding and diversifying our reach, consist of Film at Lincoln Center programming staff and an international roster of programmers and advisors.”

Thierry Frémaux talks Cannes 2020Melanie Goodfellow spoke with that Frémaux for Screen Daily about the festival's cancellation: "Following the unprecedented cancellation of the 73rd edition of Cannes Film Festival due to the Covid-19 pandemic, delegate general Thierry Frémaux opens up about how he is feeling on the eve of what should have been the opening week of the festival, originally scheduled for May 12-23. Frémaux also talks about plans for the 2020 Official Selection, what the event plans to do to support cinema over the coming months, and his hopes that Spike Lee will make it for the 2021 edition to take up the role of president of the jury."

Was Sundance a ‘First Petri Dish’ of Coronavirus in the States?Tatiana Siegel put together this piece for The Hollywood Reporter: “On Jan. 27, actress Ashley Jackson felt the first symptoms of a nasty bug — fever, clammy skin, fatigue and shortness of breath. Given her current locale — Park City — she chalked it up to altitude sickness and toughed out her final day at the Sundance Film Festival, where she had attended the world premiere of BLAST BEAT, a family drama in which she co-stars, as well as a dizzying array of parties and lounges. The next day, the 20-year-old college student flew home to Atlanta, just as more intense symptoms began to emerge, including sore throat, aches and pains and a cough so violent, her neck swelled. Within 24 hours, she made her first of multiple visits to an urgent care facility or emergency room and was diagnosed with the flu based on her condition (though no flu test was given at the time). Like many who make the annual trek to the indie film mecca, Jackson left Sundance far worse off than when she entered. After all, the quaint mountain oasis transforms into a petri dish as some 120,000 festivalgoers from around the world huddle in crowded movie theaters during cold and flu season. In recent years, the festival's organizers have placed an emphasis on attracting international filmmakers, and this year was no exception, with a lineup of 118 feature-length films representing 27 countries. Industryites long have dubbed any illness caught while visiting the 10-day festival as ‘the Sundance flu,’ a byproduct of frigid temperatures, late-night partying and all that handshaking, in which everyone becomes an unknowing vector for spreading germs. But there was something different about Sundance 2020. A swath of attendees, including festival regulars and at least one high-profile actor, became sicker than ever before, leading some to later believe they had early, undocumented cases of COVID-19.”

Filmmaker Magazine on Visions du Réel 2020Vadim Rizov covered the first online edition of Visions du Réel for Filmmaker Magazine: “Visions du Réel’s pivot to online-only festival has given me an unexpected new pool of films to sift through. Nearly everything that was supposed to be on the ground at a fest I’d normally never have the resources to attend is accessible online, and the streaming technology is holding up excellently. (AirDropping from laptop to TV, if you have that option, eliminates the watermark, so it’s about as good as online streaming gets.) On the public-facing side (I have no idea how that’s going), the festival went ‘live’ on Saturday the 25th and wraps up on May 2nd. For those with access to the media library, the festival could theoretically last longer than TIFF, as those links remain accessible through the 10th. I’m slowly browsing through what’s on offer, scanning a few minutes here and there; online, no one can see you walk out (unless, of course, perhaps they can on the other side?). That, along with attendant time to fill, encourages more serendipitous chance-taking than usual, as well as allowing me to play the game of ‘what if I were a programmer?’ Here’s what I’ve seen so far, with more to probably come.”

MISCELLANEOUS

Museum of the Moving Image Premieres FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY OnlineAnnounced via press release: “View From Home: MoMI Presents SPACESHIP EARTH, FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY, THE INFILTRATORS, and PAHOKEE in new online release. FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY, from the Academy Award–winning producer of AMERICAN FACTORY, premieres online, exclusive to MoMI, beginning May 8. Each film release will be accompanied by live online conversations.”

Cinema Eye Honors Broadcast Submissions Now OpenAnnounced via press release: “Last week, we opened submissions for our 2021 Broadcast Honors, our awards for Broadcast Film, Series, Editing and Cinematography. Submissions must be made by a network or streamer. Details on eligibility for these awards are on our rules page. Submissions will close next Thursday, May 14, 2020, so don’t delay!...Please note – due to the impact of the global pandemic and the cancelation/postponement of many of our qualifying film festivals, we are changing our eligibility requirements for 2021 to allow as many films as possible to qualify for Cinema Eye.”

Archive Valley Offering Free Archival Footage Consultation to FilmmakersAnnounced via press release: “Due to the current circumstances of covid19 and as all film productions are shutting down, we realize that archival based productions become a great alternative to many filmmakers. Hence Archive Valley decided to help them. Filmmakers can book a meeting from our landing page. Archive Valley has built a smart solution for filmmakers to identify and access archival footage worldwide. Archive Valley is the first global ecosystem directly connecting archive sources with filmmakers and producers.”

IDA Announces Special Member Benefits with Getty ImagesJina Chung shared the news at IDA: "Years in the making, IDA is proud to announce an exclusive partnership with Getty Images and new benefits for IDA members from this new venture! With over 300 million editorial and creative photos and over 11 million video clips, in addition to a full selection of music tracks and sound effects, Getty Images is the most comprehensive multimedia database available online and a valuable resource for filmmakers and artists around the world. With Getty Images celebrating its 25th anniversary, we are thrilled for IDA members to make use of their new benefits, including: A 15% minimum discount on all applicable photos and video clips, complimentary online research assistance, [and] access to high-res and non-watermarked easy-access comp stock materials. These images and videos for are usable for work-in-progress projects’ test or private pitch purposes. A direct point-of-contact who can assist with research and easy-access high-res comp images requests, negotiating licensing fees, compiling licensing paperwork, access to the non-digitized library, other Getty Images products, and any questions related to third-party clearances. As production in the field has halted, filmmakers are increasingly looking towards online resources and archival materials in developing new projects during downtime. If you aren't an IDA member yet, this is the perfect time to join the IDA family and enjoy these new benefits.”

HOW PEOPLE ARE PARTYING ONLINE DURING LOCKDOWN
Directed by Grant Armour"Before the global pandemic, people were becoming more wary and suspicious of life online, going on digital detoxes for their wellbeing. Now it seems like mass isolation has accelerated our digital evolution by immersing us deeper into the metaverse. The future looks hard so we might as well party hard future style."

FUND THIS PROJECT

Crowdfunding has become an integral means of raising capital for documentary filmmakers around the globe. Each week we feature a promising new project that needs your help to cross that critical crowdfunding finish line.

G'morning all (or I guess it's afternoon now?). I'm running a bit behind this week, but I hope this finds you well. As with recent week's organizations like the Miami International Film Festival and the Museum of the Moving Image, both of which recently hosted online premieres of films with interactive participatory elements despite the possibility of in-person events. POV Spark looks to further expand this idea with its newly announced Public Update project, which will be hosting experimental works of nonfiction online. And as TheTimes reports, filmmakers are keeping busy and there are a plethora of newly announced resources included in this week's memo. So, without further ado, read on!

DOC NYC Friday Fix is a new weekly series covering documentary film, hosted by Thom Powers. On Episode 4, Nadia Hallgren talks about her Netflix documentary BECOMING about Michelle Obama. Marc Levin discusses his Quibi series I PROMISE about an Ohio grade school backed by Lebron James. And Nelson George reflects on interviewing our elders after his father’s death from Covid-19.

Join DOC NYC PRO for its next Immersive webinar program, a two-session deep dive into an extremely timely topic: the process of editing and finishing a film when all work must be done remotely. Guests include editor Carla Gutierrez (RBG, PRAY AWAY, THE LAST OUT); director/producer Alysa Nahmias (THE NEW BAUHAUS, UNREST, UNFINISHED SPACES); Eric Johnson of Trailblazer Studios; and Joe Beirne from Technicolor - PostWorks.

Tickets are $10 and include both sessions; registrants may participate in both sessions live and will also have access to a recording and full transcript of the session after the livestream. Tickets are non-refundable.

POV Spark Introduces Public UpdateAnnounced via press release: “POV Spark announced today the launch of PUBLIC UPDATE, a new online home for exploratory content about the world around us, driven by and curated for nontraditional voices. The interactive arm of the iconic PBS series, POV Spark will use the platform to acquire and distribute works from independent artists with the hopes of inspiring the next generation of experimental documentary creators. This volume of PUBLIC UPDATE will be on view through October and available for free to U.S. audiences on the American Documentary website.”

First Projects Announced for Hulu/Kartemquin AcceleratorAnnounced via press release: “Kartemquin Films announced the two projects that will participate in the first year of the Hulu/Kartemquin Accelerator: TRACES OF HOME by director Colette Ghunim and TRES FRIDAS by director Reveca Torres. The Accelerator program offers two alumni of Kartemquin’s acclaimed Filmmaker Development Programs $20,000 each towards production, and mentorship through 2020 within the award-winning Kartemquin collaborative production model. The Accelerator program builds upon a successful relationship between Hulu and Kartemquin on the Oscar and Emmy nominated documentary MINDING THE GAP, directed by Bing Liu and produced by Diane Quon, which also won a Special Jury Prize for Breakthrough Filmmaking at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Liu originally developed the film through Kartemquin’s Diverse Voices in Docs program, of which both Torres and Ghunim are also graduates.”

Peabody Awards Announces 60 NomineesAnnounced via press release: “The Peabody Awards Board of Jurors has selected 60 nominees that represent the most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and digital media during 2019. The nominees were chosen by unanimous vote of 19 jurors from nearly 1,300 entries from television, radio/podcasts and the web in entertainment, news, documentary, children’s and public service programming. The Peabody Awards are based at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.” Twenty films received nominations in the Documentary category.

With Hollywood Productions on Hold, Documentary Filmmakers Keep GoingNicole Sperling reports for The New York Times: “Jehane Noujaim and Karim Amer know about putting themselves at risk for their work. While they were shooting thousands of hours of footage for THE SQUARE, the 2013 documentary directed by Ms. Noujaim and produced by Mr. Amer on the popular uprising in Cairo, they were often in the middle of the action in Tahrir Square, where the military shot protesters and dispersed crowds with tear gas. Some of their footage was confiscated, and Ms. Noujaim was arrested and held for 36 hours. Now, amid the coronavirus pandemic, conditions are arguably more difficult, they said. ‘At the height of the revolution, things got pretty chaotic and our office was raided,’ Mr. Amer said. ‘That was a visible threat. You knew when the army was coming for you. This is not like anything we’ve seen before. This is an invisible threat that’s affecting every single member of the production team.’ Still, Ms. Noujaim and Mr. Amer have managed to keep going at a time when Hollywood has closed down film and television productions.”

DOC BOOKS

IN FADING LIGHT: THE FILMS OF THE AMBER COLLECTIVE
By James Leggott

"For over five decades, the Newcastle-based Amber Film and Photography Collective has been a critical (if often unheralded) force within British documentary filmmaking, producing a variety of innovative works focused on working-class society. Situating their acclaimed output within wider social, political, and historical contexts, In Fading Light provides an accessible introduction to Amber’s output from both national and transnational perspectives, including experimental, low-budget documentaries in the 1970s; more prominent feature films in the 1980s; studies of post-industrial life in the 1990s; and the distinctive perils and opportunities posed by the digital era."

AFI DOCS is Going VirtualAnnounced via press release: “The 2020 edition of AFI DOCS is going virtual! AFI announced today that AFI DOCS will showcase current non-fiction fare in a re-imagined online film festival June 17–21. ‘AFI is committed to the documentary art form in the best of times and in the most challenging of times,’ said Michael Lumpkin, Director of AFI Festivals. ‘Now more than ever, we are dedicated to supporting extraordinary films because the world needs stories that educate, inspire hope and remind us of humanity’s strength. AFI DOCS is here to help.’ AFI DOCS 2020 will open with the award-winning Apple and A24 film BOYS STATE, directed by Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, on June 17, followed by a Q&A. The Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning film follows a group of teenage boys at an annual civics program hosted by the American Legion in Austin, Texas, where attendees create a mock government and campaign for leadership and party platforms. Exploring politics through a coming-of-age lens, the result reveals American democracy and political division at its most hopeful and terrifying moments.”

Hot Docs Festival Online Reveals Official SelectionAnnounced via press release: “Hot Docs is pleased to announce that it will launch Hot Docs Festival Online on May 28 to offer at-home viewers a rich array of titles from its 2020 official selection. Ontario audiences will be able to stream films on the recently launched Hot Docs at Home TVOD platform, available at www.hotdocs.ca. Hot Docs Festival Online will run from May 28 to June 6. After the Festival, a majority of titles will be made available for an extended viewing window until June 24, subject to availability.”

Film at Lincoln Center Unveils New Structure & Programming Team for NYFFAnnounced via press release: “Film at Lincoln Center announced today that the 58th New York Film Festival (NYFF), taking place from September 25th through October 11th, will feature changes to the festival’s programming structure and new selection committee and advisory roles. The festival is also exploring a combination of both in-person and digital experiences, as circumstances allow. Since 1963, the New York Film Festival has been a centerpiece of New York’s arts scene: an annual bellwether of the state of cinema that has shaped film culture in the city and beyond. Festival organizers will keep this tradition alive while adapting as necessary to the current health crisis. Film at Lincoln Center will determine the format of the festival this summer, maintaining its commitment and responsibility to films and filmmakers while ensuring that the safety and well-being of our audiences and guests remain our utmost priority. With new leadership in place, the festival’s offerings will be streamlined into five banner sections: Main Slate, Currents, Spotlight, Revivals, and Talks. The Main Slate selection committee has been expanded to five members. The festival is also bringing new voices into its overall curatorial team, which will now, with the goal of expanding and diversifying our reach, consist of Film at Lincoln Center programming staff and an international roster of programmers and advisors.”

Thierry Frémaux talks Cannes 2020Melanie Goodfellow spoke with that Frémaux for Screen Daily about the festival's cancellation: "Following the unprecedented cancellation of the 73rd edition of Cannes Film Festival due to the Covid-19 pandemic, delegate general Thierry Frémaux opens up about how he is feeling on the eve of what should have been the opening week of the festival, originally scheduled for May 12-23. Frémaux also talks about plans for the 2020 Official Selection, what the event plans to do to support cinema over the coming months, and his hopes that Spike Lee will make it for the 2021 edition to take up the role of president of the jury."

Was Sundance a ‘First Petri Dish’ of Coronavirus in the States?Tatiana Siegel put together this piece for The Hollywood Reporter: “On Jan. 27, actress Ashley Jackson felt the first symptoms of a nasty bug — fever, clammy skin, fatigue and shortness of breath. Given her current locale — Park City — she chalked it up to altitude sickness and toughed out her final day at the Sundance Film Festival, where she had attended the world premiere of BLAST BEAT, a family drama in which she co-stars, as well as a dizzying array of parties and lounges. The next day, the 20-year-old college student flew home to Atlanta, just as more intense symptoms began to emerge, including sore throat, aches and pains and a cough so violent, her neck swelled. Within 24 hours, she made her first of multiple visits to an urgent care facility or emergency room and was diagnosed with the flu based on her condition (though no flu test was given at the time). Like many who make the annual trek to the indie film mecca, Jackson left Sundance far worse off than when she entered. After all, the quaint mountain oasis transforms into a petri dish as some 120,000 festivalgoers from around the world huddle in crowded movie theaters during cold and flu season. In recent years, the festival's organizers have placed an emphasis on attracting international filmmakers, and this year was no exception, with a lineup of 118 feature-length films representing 27 countries. Industryites long have dubbed any illness caught while visiting the 10-day festival as ‘the Sundance flu,’ a byproduct of frigid temperatures, late-night partying and all that handshaking, in which everyone becomes an unknowing vector for spreading germs. But there was something different about Sundance 2020. A swath of attendees, including festival regulars and at least one high-profile actor, became sicker than ever before, leading some to later believe they had early, undocumented cases of COVID-19.”

Filmmaker Magazine on Visions du Réel 2020Vadim Rizov covered the first online edition of Visions du Réel for Filmmaker Magazine: “Visions du Réel’s pivot to online-only festival has given me an unexpected new pool of films to sift through. Nearly everything that was supposed to be on the ground at a fest I’d normally never have the resources to attend is accessible online, and the streaming technology is holding up excellently. (AirDropping from laptop to TV, if you have that option, eliminates the watermark, so it’s about as good as online streaming gets.) On the public-facing side (I have no idea how that’s going), the festival went ‘live’ on Saturday the 25th and wraps up on May 2nd. For those with access to the media library, the festival could theoretically last longer than TIFF, as those links remain accessible through the 10th. I’m slowly browsing through what’s on offer, scanning a few minutes here and there; online, no one can see you walk out (unless, of course, perhaps they can on the other side?). That, along with attendant time to fill, encourages more serendipitous chance-taking than usual, as well as allowing me to play the game of ‘what if I were a programmer?’ Here’s what I’ve seen so far, with more to probably come.”

MISCELLANEOUS

Museum of the Moving Image Premieres FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY OnlineAnnounced via press release: “View From Home: MoMI Presents SPACESHIP EARTH, FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY, THE INFILTRATORS, and PAHOKEE in new online release. FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY, from the Academy Award–winning producer of AMERICAN FACTORY, premieres online, exclusive to MoMI, beginning May 8. Each film release will be accompanied by live online conversations.”

Cinema Eye Honors Broadcast Submissions Now OpenAnnounced via press release: “Last week, we opened submissions for our 2021 Broadcast Honors, our awards for Broadcast Film, Series, Editing and Cinematography. Submissions must be made by a network or streamer. Details on eligibility for these awards are on our rules page. Submissions will close next Thursday, May 14, 2020, so don’t delay!...Please note – due to the impact of the global pandemic and the cancelation/postponement of many of our qualifying film festivals, we are changing our eligibility requirements for 2021 to allow as many films as possible to qualify for Cinema Eye.”

Archive Valley Offering Free Archival Footage Consultation to FilmmakersAnnounced via press release: “Due to the current circumstances of covid19 and as all film productions are shutting down, we realize that archival based productions become a great alternative to many filmmakers. Hence Archive Valley decided to help them. Filmmakers can book a meeting from our landing page. Archive Valley has built a smart solution for filmmakers to identify and access archival footage worldwide. Archive Valley is the first global ecosystem directly connecting archive sources with filmmakers and producers.”

IDA Announces Special Member Benefits with Getty ImagesJina Chung shared the news at IDA: "Years in the making, IDA is proud to announce an exclusive partnership with Getty Images and new benefits for IDA members from this new venture! With over 300 million editorial and creative photos and over 11 million video clips, in addition to a full selection of music tracks and sound effects, Getty Images is the most comprehensive multimedia database available online and a valuable resource for filmmakers and artists around the world. With Getty Images celebrating its 25th anniversary, we are thrilled for IDA members to make use of their new benefits, including: A 15% minimum discount on all applicable photos and video clips, complimentary online research assistance, [and] access to high-res and non-watermarked easy-access comp stock materials. These images and videos for are usable for work-in-progress projects’ test or private pitch purposes. A direct point-of-contact who can assist with research and easy-access high-res comp images requests, negotiating licensing fees, compiling licensing paperwork, access to the non-digitized library, other Getty Images products, and any questions related to third-party clearances. As production in the field has halted, filmmakers are increasingly looking towards online resources and archival materials in developing new projects during downtime. If you aren't an IDA member yet, this is the perfect time to join the IDA family and enjoy these new benefits.”

HOW PEOPLE ARE PARTYING ONLINE DURING LOCKDOWN
Directed by Grant Armour"Before the global pandemic, people were becoming more wary and suspicious of life online, going on digital detoxes for their wellbeing. Now it seems like mass isolation has accelerated our digital evolution by immersing us deeper into the metaverse. The future looks hard so we might as well party hard future style."

FUND THIS PROJECT

Crowdfunding has become an integral means of raising capital for documentary filmmakers around the globe. Each week we feature a promising new project that needs your help to cross that critical crowdfunding finish line.

At this point, I've been working from home for over a month and I'm a bit surprised that I'm still managing to keep my days straight (it is Monday, right?). I've spent the last few days catching a variety of films from the online edition of Nyon, Switzerland's Visions du Réel, and it seems starting today we'll all be able to watch a few films from Amazon Prime's online presentation of SXSW. But despite all the rather unprecedented online access we've been able to enjoy, I think we're all starting to seriously ponder what kinds of lasting effects COVID-19 is going to have within all aspects of the film industry. This week's memo sees a spate of in-depth articles and interviews debating this very topic. Plus, Full Frame revealed its 2020 award winners, Open City announced a new bi-annual doc journal titled Non-Fiction, and Columbia University Press released Stefano Odorico's new book, The Interactive Documentary Form. Stay safe, read on, and watch some docs.

-Jordan M. Smith

HEADLINES

DOC NYC Announces Free Live Series "Friday Fix"
You start your work week with the Monday Memo. Now finish strong with the Friday Fix. We are happy to announce the launch of a new live weekly interview show hosted by the festival’s artistic director Thom Powers. Titled “DOC NYC Friday Fix,” the show kicked off last week with Episode 1 featuring filmmakers Liz Garbus (THE INNOCENCE FILES; LOST GIRLS) and Rachel Mason (CIRCUS OF BOOKS), plus Loira Limbal (THROUGH THE NIGHT) gave a moving perspective of how Covid-19 has impacted her community in the South Bronx. Episode 2 arrives May 1 with Janet Tobias (director of the pandemic doc UNSEEN ENEMY), Oscar winners Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert (AMERICAN FACTORY) and Kartemquin Films’ Gordon Quinn (who’s recovering from Covid-19). DOC NYC Friday Fix is available for free worldwide. You can RSVP to watch During the livestream, viewers can contribute questions and comments. The show is recorded for later access. Upcoming episodes will focus on the PBS series Asian Americans, and the features Crip Camp, Welcome to Chechnya, John Lewis: Good Trouble and more.

Independent Filmmakers Call on Feds for Financial Support Amid PandemicJ. Kim Murphy covered the story for Variety: "As the coronavirus pandemic continues to halt film productions across the country, the Freelancers Union and a coalition of 25 independent film and media groups have called on the federal government to support its members. The coalition’s request calls upon Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and congressional members across the country to ensure than any replenishment of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) includes stipulations that allow freelancers to qualify for financial relief. ‘The PPP has the potential to offer a critical financial lifeline to America’s freelance and self-employed workers by providing forgivable loans to cover payroll and business expenses,’ the coalition’s statement reads. ‘Unfortunately, with insufficient federal funds allocated and rules set up to favor larger businesses, freelancers have not been able to gain access to this essential funding.’ The coalition found that more than 80% of freelancers surveyed reported that they had lost thousands of dollars in wages due to shutdowns. While freelancers were allowed to apply for PPP loans on April 10, one week after applications opened to small businesses, the statement explains that freelancers were only offered a period of four business days before the Small Business Association announced they were closing applications due to exhausted funds. During that brief window of opportunity, many freelancers struggled to connect with banks overwhelmed with applicants from larger businesses and new rules requiring the completion of a 2019 Form 1040, Schedule C, which many individuals have yet to complete due to the extension of the IRS’ filing deadline. Over the past 10 days, over 2600 freelancers in the industry have joined the coalition’s online seminars on PPP, with many frightened by the difficulty of obtaining access to this financial support from the federal government.”

Doc Industry Pivots to Lock in Buyers, Audiences During CoronavirusJennie Punter reported on the state of doc distro for Variety: "With the global premiere of National Geographic’s JANE GOODALL: THE HOPE on Earth Day (April 22) and the April 19 premiere of the first two episodes of Michael Jordan series LAST DANCE — a ratings slam-dunk for ESPN — it’s deceptively easy to think all is right in the documentary world. The coronavirus pandemic has created a huge, captive audience for documentaries à la TIGER KING, while films are reaching millions of home-schooling students and connecting house-bound viewers to the outside world. Meanwhile, broadcasters and streamers are moving up premiere dates and making select programming more widely (i.e. freely) available, while doc-championing independent U.S. distributors such as Magnolia, Kino Lorber, Oscilloscope Laboratories, Neon and Music Box have launched virtual cinemas as revenue-sharing partnerships that support local arthouse theaters. The reality is that beyond the headlines for high-profile fare, the pandemic is exposing the fragility of the documentary ecosystem, where the characteristic persistence and resilience of documentary filmmakers is under threat in a marketplace that has never felt more uncertain.”

When Do We All Go Back to Work?Filmmaker Magazine editor Scott Macaulay asks: “When do we all go back to work? While provisional answers to this question are suggested every day in the newspapers and in government press briefings, industry-specific conversations play out in email exchanges, Zoom conference calls and text message threads. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been canvassing producer friends and colleagues about what they’re doing and what they’re hearing. Of course, testing — virus and antibody — as well as declining, low-level transmission rates in the shoot location will be givens before any production will start. Assuming that, however, their answers are all over the place. Studio feature production may not be starting for a year, some say. But some television may go in the Fall. There are producers who think they will be shooting their indies mid-summer. Others, are more confident of lensing in October. There’s one particular producer, I’ve heard, who plans a virtual prep in July for an August shoot — an indie in one main location with a tiny cast. He really wants to make Sundance.”

DOC BOOKS

THE INTERACTIVE DOCUMENTARY FORM:
AESTHETICS, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH
By Stefano Odorico

"While the concept of the documentary film is well established, interactive documentary is a newly emerging form of nonlinear, nonfiction narrative that animates viewers to control their own path through a film. Stefano Odorico examines the aesthetic structures and dynamics of interactive documentary as a web-based film experience. His study considers theoretical issues such as critical complexity, reality effect, and polyphony, and assesses their respective media practices. Questions of distribution and preservation are addressed through the analysis of a number of film festivals, museums, and archives. Lastly, Odorico explores the potential of interactive documentary as a research method not only specifically for film and media studies but also for academia more generally."

How Film Festivals Can Navigate the Risks and Rewards of ReopeningNoah Cowan pieced together an analysis on how film festivals might move forward from here for IndieWire: "Film festivals are facing a wide array of challenges over the coming months, most of them well-documented in trade and commercial media. But it’s worth restating some of these specific concerns in a more holistic context, especially as the luckier among us are just beginning to pass from the ‘horror movie’ phase of COVID-19 to the ‘suspense thriller’ phase, and we contemplate what ‘re-opening’ might look like. These thoughts are obviously speculative as changes on the ground continue and none of us are certain how this massive economic downturn will affect consumer behavior over the next year. Festivals are currently torn between their bedrock mission of gathering local communities around film — now totally shut down — and staying relevant to their audiences, which is currently happening with a rush to online screenings and other digital initiatives. There are some bright spots — especially CPH:DOX, with its young demographics and fervent digital following, which managed to go online and didn’t miss a beat. However, most spring festivals have failed to effectively translate their real world enthusiasm to the online space.”

Toronto Film Festival Considers Digital Options in Post-Coronavirus WorldVariety's Peter Debruge spoke with TIFF's Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente about what TIFF might look like this year: "It’s ‘full steam ahead’ at the Toronto Film Festival, according to artistic director Cameron Bailey. However, even the organizers of North America’s largest annual film gathering can’t say with total certainty what that means, since there are so many unknowns in the fast-evolving coronavirus pandemic. TIFF traditionally takes place in early September, boasting a lineup of nearly 300 films. Unlike other festivals that were forced to cancel or postpone due to coronavirus, the team is committed to deliver some form of the event on its original September dates — even if that means fewer venues, smaller audiences or, worst case scenario, no in-person component at all. Six months out, the team has already started developing some kind of virtual or streaming alternative, should it come to that. ‘Postponing is definitely not a possibility on the table right now. [Based on] everything that we are learning, things might get worse in October or November if there is a second wave,’ says TIFF executive director and co-head Joana Vicente. By sticking to its dates and thinking about contingency plans early, TIFF has positioned itself as the year’s de facto can’t-miss festival and market. While travel restrictions have forced programmers to cancel March trips to Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong FilMart, Bailey insists that studios and filmmakers eager to premiere their work remain highly motivated for their films to be considered.”

2020 Full Frame Award WinnersAnnounced via press release: “Seven awards for a combined value of $47,500 in cash prizes are announced for the 2020 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Full Frame is a qualifying event for nominations for the Academy Award Documentary Short Subject category and the Producers Guild of America Awards. The four-day event, originally scheduled to run April 2–5, was canceled amid COVID-19 concerns...The Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award was presented to MAYOR, directed by David Osit...The Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short was presented to THEN COMES THE EVENING, directed by Maja Novaković...The Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award was presented to TIME, directed by Garrett Bradley...The Charles E. Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award was presented to TIME, directed by Garrett Bradley...The Franklin Humanities Institute Award was presented to RIAFN, directed by Hannes Lang...The Full Frame President’s Award is presented to SAUDADE, directed by Denize Galiao...The Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights is presented to US KIDS, directed by Kim Snyder.”

Prime Video Presents the SXSW 2020 Film Festival CollectionAnnounced via press release: “Amazon Prime Video and SXSW announced ‘Prime Video presents the SXSW 2020 Film Festival Collection’ will launch on April 27, 2020 with 39 films, composed of narrative and documentary features, short films and episodic titles. Filmmakers in the official 2020 SXSW Film Festival lineup were invited to opt in to take part in this online film festival, which will play exclusively on Prime Video in the U.S. from April 27, 2020 thru May 6, 2020. The one-time event will be available in front of the Prime Video paywall, free to all U.S. audiences with or without an Amazon Prime membership — all that is needed is a free Amazon account.”

MISCELLANEOUS

New Non-Fiction Journal Now On SaleAnnounced via press release: “Non-Fiction is a new journal from Open City Documentary Festival. The publication aims to create a space for considered, critical and creative writing on non-fiction, featuring contributions offered in response to moving image, audio or cross-media, both contemporary and historical. Non-Fiction reacts to a growing interest in documentary work by providing a platform for more rigorous and engaging criticism made in response to it. It assumes that criticism can itself be an act of creation, and that there is no fixed format that a critical response should take. Non-Fiction will be intellectual but accessible, including a variety of voices and perspectives, both in terms of contributors and subject matter. Like Open City Documentary Festival, the journal looks to nurture and champion the art of creative non-fiction, aiming to challenge and expand the idea of documentary in all its forms. The journal will be a biannual print publication, with each issue containing a number of varying responses to a given theme. It will be available to buy online, at the festival, and in select shops. Non-Fiction is supported by UCL.”

DCTV Online Workshop: Documenting in QuarantineAnnounced via press release: “To support our community during this time, we are reducing all prices. We are offering Office Hours either for free or suggested donation, and in-depth Workshops on a sliding scale to be able to support our freelance instructors and cover some of our costs. Please choose the amount you’re able to pay...Do you want to document your community coming together to support vulnerable neighbors? Or interview friends around the world to compare their experiences? Or maybe make a video journal of your personal insights on being at home? At this fraught time, there are so many stories to tell at all levels – stories about governance, science, or community, about the people who are impacted, at risk, or doing their best to help. With this online workshop, join a cohort of other creators to support each other and go through the process together. Channel your energies and extra time into creating your own documentary film to contribute to the record of this time. This workshop meets virtually as a group once a week for one month, and to keep on track, participants will also have weekly one-on-one virtual meetings with the instructor. This workshop will culminate in a live online viewing party of completed projects with a Q&A session.”

On Watching Brett Story’s THE PRISON IN TWELVE LANDSCAPESGeorgie Carr reflects on the film in the midst of COVID-19 at Another Gaze: “How do you represent the prison system cinematically? A certain syntax of images springs to mind: a concrete wall, coils of barbed wire, or hands clasped behind iron bars, as seen in documentaries such as Louis Theroux’s BEHIND BARS (2008) or Reggie Yates’s THE INSIDER: INSIDE A TEXAS JAIL (2016). These films and others like them explore the prison and the toll on its inhabitants from the inside. The reach of the prison, however, extends far beyond its physical limits. America’s prison system is vast, and has grown exponentially since the 1970s. As of now, 2.3 million people are incarcerated. Millions more endure parole restrictions, correctional facilities and probation. Meanwhile, 113 million adults have an immediate family member who has been to prison or jail. Brett Story’s THE PRISON IN TWELVE LANDSCAPES weaves together studies of different sites across America to show the ways in which the oppressive structures of the prison expand outwards across the nation as a whole.”

The Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund and Criminal JusticeDana Merwin wrote about this year’s Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund and its relationship to history at IDA: “In one of Pare Lorentz’s defining films, THE PLOW THAT BROKE THE PLAINS (1936), Lorentz illustrated the impact of destructive agricultural practices with striking imagery and an artistry that moved audiences in a way that headlines did not. Its release pioneered the power of film to magnify injustice, spur national discourse and create change. More than 80 years later, the Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund continues his filmmaking legacy by supporting feature-length documentary films that reflect the spirit and nature of his work. The fund empowers filmmakers to use cinema for social justice and education. Each year, the fund focuses on select issue areas that reflect Lorentz’s legacy.”

NEW RELEASES

Ivete Lucas & Patrick Bresnan's PAHOKEE is now available via virtual cinemas, Rachel Mason's CIRCUS OF BOOKS is now streaming on Netflix, and the Spike Jonze directed BEASTIE BOYS STORY is available through Apple TV+.

ELEPHANT PATH / NJAIA NJOKU
Directed by Todd McGrains"An indelible tale of friendship and commitment set against the luminous beauty of the Central African Rainforest. Together, elephant behavioral biologist, Andrea Turkalo, and indigenous tracker, Sessely Bernard, will be tested by the realities of war and the limits of hope for the majestic animals they have committed their lives to study and protect."

FUND THIS PROJECT

Crowdfunding has become an integral means of raising capital for documentary filmmakers around the globe. Each week we feature a promising new project that needs your help to cross that critical crowdfunding finish line.

]]>Monday Memo: Festivals Go Online as Others Weigh Risks & Rewards of Reopening, Open City Launch Journal, and Full Frame Reveals 2020 Award WinnersYour weekly rundown of all the latest documentary news from the festival circuit, awards season commentators, new releases and beyond.

At this point, I've been working from home for over a month and I'm a bit surprised that I'm still managing to keep my days straight (it is Monday, right?). I've spent the last few days catching a variety of films from the online edition of Nyon, Switzerland's Visions du Réel, and it seems starting today we'll all be able to watch a few films from Amazon Prime's online presentation of SXSW. But despite all the rather unprecedented online access we've been able to enjoy, I think we're all starting to seriously ponder what kinds of lasting effects COVID-19 is going to have within all aspects of the film industry. This week's memo sees a spate of in-depth articles and interviews debating this very topic. Plus, Full Frame revealed its 2020 award winners, Open City announced a new bi-annual doc journal titled Non-Fiction, and Columbia University Press released Stefano Odorico's new book, The Interactive Documentary Form. Stay safe, read on, and watch some docs.

-Jordan M. Smith

HEADLINES

DOC NYC Announces Free Live Series "Friday Fix"
You start your work week with the Monday Memo. Now finish strong with the Friday Fix. We are happy to announce the launch of a new live weekly interview show hosted by the festival’s artistic director Thom Powers. Titled “DOC NYC Friday Fix,” the show kicked off last week with Episode 1 featuring filmmakers Liz Garbus (THE INNOCENCE FILES; LOST GIRLS) and Rachel Mason (CIRCUS OF BOOKS), plus Loira Limbal (THROUGH THE NIGHT) gave a moving perspective of how Covid-19 has impacted her community in the South Bronx. Episode 2 arrives May 1 with Janet Tobias (director of the pandemic doc UNSEEN ENEMY), Oscar winners Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert (AMERICAN FACTORY) and Kartemquin Films’ Gordon Quinn (who’s recovering from Covid-19). DOC NYC Friday Fix is available for free worldwide. You can RSVP to watch During the livestream, viewers can contribute questions and comments. The show is recorded for later access. Upcoming episodes will focus on the PBS series Asian Americans, and the features Crip Camp, Welcome to Chechnya, John Lewis: Good Trouble and more.

Independent Filmmakers Call on Feds for Financial Support Amid PandemicJ. Kim Murphy covered the story for Variety: "As the coronavirus pandemic continues to halt film productions across the country, the Freelancers Union and a coalition of 25 independent film and media groups have called on the federal government to support its members. The coalition’s request calls upon Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and congressional members across the country to ensure than any replenishment of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) includes stipulations that allow freelancers to qualify for financial relief. ‘The PPP has the potential to offer a critical financial lifeline to America’s freelance and self-employed workers by providing forgivable loans to cover payroll and business expenses,’ the coalition’s statement reads. ‘Unfortunately, with insufficient federal funds allocated and rules set up to favor larger businesses, freelancers have not been able to gain access to this essential funding.’ The coalition found that more than 80% of freelancers surveyed reported that they had lost thousands of dollars in wages due to shutdowns. While freelancers were allowed to apply for PPP loans on April 10, one week after applications opened to small businesses, the statement explains that freelancers were only offered a period of four business days before the Small Business Association announced they were closing applications due to exhausted funds. During that brief window of opportunity, many freelancers struggled to connect with banks overwhelmed with applicants from larger businesses and new rules requiring the completion of a 2019 Form 1040, Schedule C, which many individuals have yet to complete due to the extension of the IRS’ filing deadline. Over the past 10 days, over 2600 freelancers in the industry have joined the coalition’s online seminars on PPP, with many frightened by the difficulty of obtaining access to this financial support from the federal government.”

Doc Industry Pivots to Lock in Buyers, Audiences During CoronavirusJennie Punter reported on the state of doc distro for Variety: "With the global premiere of National Geographic’s JANE GOODALL: THE HOPE on Earth Day (April 22) and the April 19 premiere of the first two episodes of Michael Jordan series LAST DANCE — a ratings slam-dunk for ESPN — it’s deceptively easy to think all is right in the documentary world. The coronavirus pandemic has created a huge, captive audience for documentaries à la TIGER KING, while films are reaching millions of home-schooling students and connecting house-bound viewers to the outside world. Meanwhile, broadcasters and streamers are moving up premiere dates and making select programming more widely (i.e. freely) available, while doc-championing independent U.S. distributors such as Magnolia, Kino Lorber, Oscilloscope Laboratories, Neon and Music Box have launched virtual cinemas as revenue-sharing partnerships that support local arthouse theaters. The reality is that beyond the headlines for high-profile fare, the pandemic is exposing the fragility of the documentary ecosystem, where the characteristic persistence and resilience of documentary filmmakers is under threat in a marketplace that has never felt more uncertain.”

When Do We All Go Back to Work?Filmmaker Magazine editor Scott Macaulay asks: “When do we all go back to work? While provisional answers to this question are suggested every day in the newspapers and in government press briefings, industry-specific conversations play out in email exchanges, Zoom conference calls and text message threads. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been canvassing producer friends and colleagues about what they’re doing and what they’re hearing. Of course, testing — virus and antibody — as well as declining, low-level transmission rates in the shoot location will be givens before any production will start. Assuming that, however, their answers are all over the place. Studio feature production may not be starting for a year, some say. But some television may go in the Fall. There are producers who think they will be shooting their indies mid-summer. Others, are more confident of lensing in October. There’s one particular producer, I’ve heard, who plans a virtual prep in July for an August shoot — an indie in one main location with a tiny cast. He really wants to make Sundance.”

DOC BOOKS

THE INTERACTIVE DOCUMENTARY FORM:
AESTHETICS, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH
By Stefano Odorico

"While the concept of the documentary film is well established, interactive documentary is a newly emerging form of nonlinear, nonfiction narrative that animates viewers to control their own path through a film. Stefano Odorico examines the aesthetic structures and dynamics of interactive documentary as a web-based film experience. His study considers theoretical issues such as critical complexity, reality effect, and polyphony, and assesses their respective media practices. Questions of distribution and preservation are addressed through the analysis of a number of film festivals, museums, and archives. Lastly, Odorico explores the potential of interactive documentary as a research method not only specifically for film and media studies but also for academia more generally."

How Film Festivals Can Navigate the Risks and Rewards of ReopeningNoah Cowan pieced together an analysis on how film festivals might move forward from here for IndieWire: "Film festivals are facing a wide array of challenges over the coming months, most of them well-documented in trade and commercial media. But it’s worth restating some of these specific concerns in a more holistic context, especially as the luckier among us are just beginning to pass from the ‘horror movie’ phase of COVID-19 to the ‘suspense thriller’ phase, and we contemplate what ‘re-opening’ might look like. These thoughts are obviously speculative as changes on the ground continue and none of us are certain how this massive economic downturn will affect consumer behavior over the next year. Festivals are currently torn between their bedrock mission of gathering local communities around film — now totally shut down — and staying relevant to their audiences, which is currently happening with a rush to online screenings and other digital initiatives. There are some bright spots — especially CPH:DOX, with its young demographics and fervent digital following, which managed to go online and didn’t miss a beat. However, most spring festivals have failed to effectively translate their real world enthusiasm to the online space.”

Toronto Film Festival Considers Digital Options in Post-Coronavirus WorldVariety's Peter Debruge spoke with TIFF's Cameron Bailey and Joana Vicente about what TIFF might look like this year: "It’s ‘full steam ahead’ at the Toronto Film Festival, according to artistic director Cameron Bailey. However, even the organizers of North America’s largest annual film gathering can’t say with total certainty what that means, since there are so many unknowns in the fast-evolving coronavirus pandemic. TIFF traditionally takes place in early September, boasting a lineup of nearly 300 films. Unlike other festivals that were forced to cancel or postpone due to coronavirus, the team is committed to deliver some form of the event on its original September dates — even if that means fewer venues, smaller audiences or, worst case scenario, no in-person component at all. Six months out, the team has already started developing some kind of virtual or streaming alternative, should it come to that. ‘Postponing is definitely not a possibility on the table right now. [Based on] everything that we are learning, things might get worse in October or November if there is a second wave,’ says TIFF executive director and co-head Joana Vicente. By sticking to its dates and thinking about contingency plans early, TIFF has positioned itself as the year’s de facto can’t-miss festival and market. While travel restrictions have forced programmers to cancel March trips to Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong FilMart, Bailey insists that studios and filmmakers eager to premiere their work remain highly motivated for their films to be considered.”

2020 Full Frame Award WinnersAnnounced via press release: “Seven awards for a combined value of $47,500 in cash prizes are announced for the 2020 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Full Frame is a qualifying event for nominations for the Academy Award Documentary Short Subject category and the Producers Guild of America Awards. The four-day event, originally scheduled to run April 2–5, was canceled amid COVID-19 concerns...The Reva and David Logan Grand Jury Award was presented to MAYOR, directed by David Osit...The Full Frame Jury Award for Best Short was presented to THEN COMES THE EVENING, directed by Maja Novaković...The Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award was presented to TIME, directed by Garrett Bradley...The Charles E. Guggenheim Emerging Artist Award was presented to TIME, directed by Garrett Bradley...The Franklin Humanities Institute Award was presented to RIAFN, directed by Hannes Lang...The Full Frame President’s Award is presented to SAUDADE, directed by Denize Galiao...The Kathleen Bryan Edwards Award for Human Rights is presented to US KIDS, directed by Kim Snyder.”

Prime Video Presents the SXSW 2020 Film Festival CollectionAnnounced via press release: “Amazon Prime Video and SXSW announced ‘Prime Video presents the SXSW 2020 Film Festival Collection’ will launch on April 27, 2020 with 39 films, composed of narrative and documentary features, short films and episodic titles. Filmmakers in the official 2020 SXSW Film Festival lineup were invited to opt in to take part in this online film festival, which will play exclusively on Prime Video in the U.S. from April 27, 2020 thru May 6, 2020. The one-time event will be available in front of the Prime Video paywall, free to all U.S. audiences with or without an Amazon Prime membership — all that is needed is a free Amazon account.”

MISCELLANEOUS

New Non-Fiction Journal Now On SaleAnnounced via press release: “Non-Fiction is a new journal from Open City Documentary Festival. The publication aims to create a space for considered, critical and creative writing on non-fiction, featuring contributions offered in response to moving image, audio or cross-media, both contemporary and historical. Non-Fiction reacts to a growing interest in documentary work by providing a platform for more rigorous and engaging criticism made in response to it. It assumes that criticism can itself be an act of creation, and that there is no fixed format that a critical response should take. Non-Fiction will be intellectual but accessible, including a variety of voices and perspectives, both in terms of contributors and subject matter. Like Open City Documentary Festival, the journal looks to nurture and champion the art of creative non-fiction, aiming to challenge and expand the idea of documentary in all its forms. The journal will be a biannual print publication, with each issue containing a number of varying responses to a given theme. It will be available to buy online, at the festival, and in select shops. Non-Fiction is supported by UCL.”

DCTV Online Workshop: Documenting in QuarantineAnnounced via press release: “To support our community during this time, we are reducing all prices. We are offering Office Hours either for free or suggested donation, and in-depth Workshops on a sliding scale to be able to support our freelance instructors and cover some of our costs. Please choose the amount you’re able to pay...Do you want to document your community coming together to support vulnerable neighbors? Or interview friends around the world to compare their experiences? Or maybe make a video journal of your personal insights on being at home? At this fraught time, there are so many stories to tell at all levels – stories about governance, science, or community, about the people who are impacted, at risk, or doing their best to help. With this online workshop, join a cohort of other creators to support each other and go through the process together. Channel your energies and extra time into creating your own documentary film to contribute to the record of this time. This workshop meets virtually as a group once a week for one month, and to keep on track, participants will also have weekly one-on-one virtual meetings with the instructor. This workshop will culminate in a live online viewing party of completed projects with a Q&A session.”

On Watching Brett Story’s THE PRISON IN TWELVE LANDSCAPESGeorgie Carr reflects on the film in the midst of COVID-19 at Another Gaze: “How do you represent the prison system cinematically? A certain syntax of images springs to mind: a concrete wall, coils of barbed wire, or hands clasped behind iron bars, as seen in documentaries such as Louis Theroux’s BEHIND BARS (2008) or Reggie Yates’s THE INSIDER: INSIDE A TEXAS JAIL (2016). These films and others like them explore the prison and the toll on its inhabitants from the inside. The reach of the prison, however, extends far beyond its physical limits. America’s prison system is vast, and has grown exponentially since the 1970s. As of now, 2.3 million people are incarcerated. Millions more endure parole restrictions, correctional facilities and probation. Meanwhile, 113 million adults have an immediate family member who has been to prison or jail. Brett Story’s THE PRISON IN TWELVE LANDSCAPES weaves together studies of different sites across America to show the ways in which the oppressive structures of the prison expand outwards across the nation as a whole.”

The Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund and Criminal JusticeDana Merwin wrote about this year’s Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund and its relationship to history at IDA: “In one of Pare Lorentz’s defining films, THE PLOW THAT BROKE THE PLAINS (1936), Lorentz illustrated the impact of destructive agricultural practices with striking imagery and an artistry that moved audiences in a way that headlines did not. Its release pioneered the power of film to magnify injustice, spur national discourse and create change. More than 80 years later, the Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund continues his filmmaking legacy by supporting feature-length documentary films that reflect the spirit and nature of his work. The fund empowers filmmakers to use cinema for social justice and education. Each year, the fund focuses on select issue areas that reflect Lorentz’s legacy.”

NEW RELEASES

Ivete Lucas & Patrick Bresnan's PAHOKEE is now available via virtual cinemas, Rachel Mason's CIRCUS OF BOOKS is now streaming on Netflix, and the Spike Jonze directed BEASTIE BOYS STORY is available through Apple TV+.

ELEPHANT PATH / NJAIA NJOKU
Directed by Todd McGrains"An indelible tale of friendship and commitment set against the luminous beauty of the Central African Rainforest. Together, elephant behavioral biologist, Andrea Turkalo, and indigenous tracker, Sessely Bernard, will be tested by the realities of war and the limits of hope for the majestic animals they have committed their lives to study and protect."

FUND THIS PROJECT

Crowdfunding has become an integral means of raising capital for documentary filmmakers around the globe. Each week we feature a promising new project that needs your help to cross that critical crowdfunding finish line.

This week the COVID-19 doc industry responses continue with a major emergency funding relief announcement from the Sundance Institute, an expansion upon Seed&Spark's initial efforts to support film festivals during this time, and the news that Cannes will not be happening as previously announced (though it's still unclear what it will in fact materialize as). It was also announced that Gabor Kalman, filmmaker and founding board member of IDA, has died, and Todd McCarthy, former lead film critic at The Hollywood Reporter, has been fired in a wave of mass layoffs by the publication. And as usual, there is much more to catch up with. Until next week...

-Jordan M. Smith

HEADLINES

Sundance Institute Responds to COVID-19 with $1Million in Emergency ReliefAnnounced via press release: “Listening to artists and colleagues across our field, we recognize the need for an urgent response to the current crisis combined with longer-term reimagination of the ways we support artists and design the systems that enable their work to reach audiences. Today we are announcing part of our urgent response, as we continue to work towards longer and sustainable solutions. Three things are clear: First, it is essential that significant resources go directly to artists who are struggling financially, in order to support their basic needs and their work. Second, the need right now is greater than any one artist or group and disproportionately affects artists from historically underrepresented communities. Third, it’s clear that collaboration and collective impact will be needed to address the extent of the challenge. This moment calls for a radical shift in strategy in the way we support independent artists in film, media, and theatre. We are launching a $1 million urgent fund to support the immediate needs of artists in our community, as well as other filmmakers in need and organizations that share our focus on inclusive storytelling. One-third of the fund will support Sundance Institute-curated artists, while two-thirds will be dedicated to emergency support for the wider community of independent artists, deployed in collaboration with partner nonprofit organizations.”

Seed&Spark Launches Platform To Boost Film Festivals Affected By COVID-19Dino-Ray Ramos had the exclusive report on Seed&Spark’s new initiative at Deadline: “As film festivals postpone and cancel across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic, independent films have taken a hit — but Seed&Spark has stepped into action to help by launching a platform specifically built for online festivals. Some high-profile actors and filmmakers have already signed on to support the initiative. Seed&Spark has shed light on improving equity and inclusion in entertainment for the last 8 years. The new online screening platform is an effort to help save 2020 film festivals as indie filmmakers try to figure out what to do with their projects.”

MoMI Premieres ROOM H.264: QUARANTINE, APRIL 2020 OnlineAnnounced via press release: “‘Hello, Filmmakers: We hope you are well and coping the best you can in whatever state of quarantine you're experiencing in this very strange moment.’ In response to the cancellation of film festivals around the world and disruption in the lives and work of filmmakers, Eric Hynes, Damon Smith, and Jeff Reichert filmed and edited the documentary ROOM H.264: QUARANTINE, APRIL 2020 over the course of the last two weeks. Shot via Skype, it features those whose work was slated to screen at festivals like SXSW, CPH:DOX, Tribeca, First Look, and more. The documentary depicts a broad range of filmmakers, each sequestered in their own spaces in locations throughout North America, Europe, Africa, and beyond, responding to a question first posed by Wim Wenders in his classic 1982 documentary experiment ROOM 666, and perhaps newly resonant today: ‘Is cinema becoming a dead language—an art form which is already in decline?’” You will also find the film below in our Streaming Shorts section.

Gabor Kalman, Founding Board Member of IDA, DiesSimon Kilmurry shared the news of Kalman's passing at IDA: “Award-winning documentary filmmaker Gabor Kalman, one of the founding members of IDA and the creator of the IDA David L. Wolper Student Documentary Achievement Award, passed away on April 12. Gabor was a sweet, kind-hearted person, with a profound heart-wrenching story. Born in Hungary, he was ten years old when Hitler's troops marched into his country; Gabor was forced into hiding when his name turned up on the ‘Jaross List’ of Jews from his village slated for ‘extermination.’ He survived the Holocaust and World War II, as well as the post-War Soviet occupation. A decade later, while a university student at Jewish Gymnasium in Budapest, Gabor participated in the 1956 uprising; as the Soviet tanks rolled into the capital city to crush the revolt, he fled to the US.”

Esteemed THR Lead Film Critic Todd McCarthy Writes About His Abrupt FiringLongtime lead film critic of The Hollywood Reporter Todd McCarthy reflects on his abrupt firing in Deadline: “A month ago I was surprised, out of nowhere, to get a nice raise. Yesterday I got the boot. By guys I’ve never met. Apparently if you make over a certain amount, you’re suddenly too expensive for the new owners of The Hollywood Reporter, which has recently been reported as losing in the vicinity of $15 million per year. Dozens are being forced to walk the plank. It’s a bloodbath.”

ON THE FESTIVAL CIRCUIT

Cannes 2020 No Longer Happening In Its Original FormAnnounced via press release: “Following the French President's statement, on Monday, April 13th, we acknowledged that the postponement of the 73rd International Cannes Film Festival, initially considered for the end of June to the beginning of July, is no longer an option. It is clearly difficult to assume that the Festival de Cannes could be held this year in its original form. Nevertheless, since yesterday evening we have started many discussions with professionals, in France and abroad. They agree that the Festival de Cannes, an essential pillar for the film industry, must explore all contingencies allowing to support the year of Cinema by making Cannes 2020 real, in a way or another. When the health crisis, whose resolution remains the priority of all, passes, we will have to reiterate and prove the importance of cinema and the role that its work, artists, professionals, film theatres and their audiences, play in our lives. This is how the Festival de Cannes and the Marché du Film intend to contribute. We are committed to it and we would like to thank everyone who is by our side, public officials (Cannes' City Halle, Ministry of Culture, the CNC), industry members as well as our partners. Each and everyone knows that many uncertainties are still reigning over the international health situation. We hope to be able to communicate promptly regarding the shapes that this Cannes 2020 will take.” In a parallel release the festival announced that “the Directors’ Fortnight, the Semaine de la Critique and ACID regret to announce the cancellation of their 2020 editions in Cannes.”

Cannes' Marché du Film 2020: OnlineAnnounced via press release: “The Festival de Cannes will launch the Marché du Film online on Monday, June 22 to support film industry professionals. In these trying times for the whole world, and in view of the fragile prospects for the world of cinema, the Festival has announced that it does not wish to abandon the field. ‘No one knows what the second half of the year may bring and whether it will be possible to organize major film events again in 2020, including the Festival de Cannes’ said Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate of the Festival. ‘Cannes has therefore decided to adapt its format for this peculiar year. Here's a first initiative: a Marché du Film Online, launched by Jérôme Paillard, Executive Director of the Marché. This brand new kind of market is organized in consultation and with the participation of many professionals from all over the world.’ The Festival de Cannes is therefore announcing the launch of the Marché du Film Online, a standalone online market created to support the international film industry and help professionals. It will be held from Monday 22 to Friday 26 June.”

2020 Tribeca Film Institute Network AnnouncedAnnounced via press release: “We're excited to announce the participants of our annual TFI Network, a film market that convenes their newly-supported storytellers to engage and foster partnerships with industry professionals. TFI Network, presented by AT&T, typically brings artists from all over the world to New York City for a day of pitch prep and industry roundtables and two days of one-on-one individual meetings with industry during the Tribeca Film Festival. Given the circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 TFI Network will be hosted as a virtual event April 27 through May 1.”

A Film Festival Screening In VR? ASK NO QUESTIONS Doc Is Trying ItPatrick Hipes at Deadline reports: “The filmmakers behind this year’s Slamdance documentary ASK NO QUESTIONS saw their film’s festival run waylaid this spring by the industry’s coronavirus shutdown. Now they are teaming with San Francisco’s DocFest, where the pic was headed next, in an effort bring the fest screening experience to audiences in their homes. It’s the latest effort from the indie film industry to survive in a world suddenly without access to its lifeblood: festivals like the shuttered SXSW and Tribeca and specialty theaters nationwide. The idea is an interesting one: Beginning April 28, Lofty Sky Pictures will screen ASK NO QUESTIONS, a 2D film, in a 3D virtual theatrical environment dubbed VR Movie House, with each of the four showings to be followed by filmmaker Q&As. As part of the initiative, the company is using BigscreenVR to deliver the screenings via avatars in the virtual world.”

Hot Docs Reveals 2020 ProgramAnnounced via press release: “Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, North America's largest documentary festival, conference and market, announces the program for its 2020 Festival. Showcasing the best in Canadian and international documentary, this year's Festival features 226 amazing docs and 12 interdisciplinary projects from 63 countries, with 51 per cent of directors in the Festival being women...Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Festival's public screenings have been postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date. The industry market events and services will be held online.”

Sheffield Doc/Fest’s MeetMarket and Alternate Realities SelectionsAnnounced via press release: “Our flagship pitching initiatives MeetMarket (for features and series) and Alternate Realities Talent Market (for new media creatives) are set to proceed via virtual video-conferencing from 8 to 10 June, 2020. For the 15th edition of the MeetMarket 48 projects, chosen from over 500 applications, have been invited to present to international industry representatives including funds, foundations, commissioning editors for broadcast and SVOD platforms, distributors, sales agents, festival programmers, NGOs, and co-production partners. The Alternate Realities Talent Market, now in its 7th edition, exists to foster collaborations between artists, creatives and organisations focused on using digital technologies to push storytelling in exciting new directions. This year 20 teams have been selected for match-made connections with curators, exhibitors, galleries, museums, international festivals, broadcasters, funding bodies, NGOs and distributors.”

The Whickers Announce Film & TV Funding Award Finalists 2020Announced via press release: “We are very happy to announce this year’s finalists for The Whickers Film & TV Funding Award – all in with the chance of winning £80,000 to produce their first feature length documentary film. Click on the images below for further details on the five outstanding projects that have been selected, and make sure to see the finalists in action at The Whickers Virtual Pitch from 11am on Wednesday 10th June at Sheffield Doc/Fest‘s 2020 Online Edition. Tickets coming soon.”

Visions du Réel 2020 OverviewBasil Tsiokos put forth a preview of the offerings of the online edition of Visions du Réel at What (not) To Doc: “This well-respected Swiss nonfiction event remarkably has been able to respond quickly to the COVID-19 crisis, transitioning to a robust online edition, most of which is available worldwide for free. The notable exception to broad access is the National Competition, which is limited to audiences in Switzerland beginning today. Among the offerings are world premieres like Aldo Gugolz’s COWS ON THE ROOF, a portrait of an expectant father and Alpine cheese producer as he reckons with guilt; Nick Brandestini’s SAPELO, about the vanishing Geechee African American community of the titular Georgian barrier island; Mirjam Landolt’s RARA AVIS, which follows a rehabilitation program for teenagers on a sailboat; Olivier Zuchuat’s THE PERIMETER OF KAMSÉ, about the efforts of the women of a Burkina Faso village to combat desertification; Raphaël Holzer’s PRIVÉ, the filmmaker’s profile of his detective father; and Julie Biro and Antoine Jaccoud’s RETURN TO VISEGRAD, chronicling the reunion of Serbian and Bosnian classmates separated by war.”

A Way of Life in Peril: Film Festival Distribution in the Age of COVID-19Jeffrey Winter spoke with Thom Powers on the topic at The Film Collaborative: "Perhaps unscientifically, I routinely name Thom Powers as the most important individual documentary programmer in the world. Given his roles at TIFF, DOC NYC, CPH:DOX, Miami, etc., he plays a prominent role in pre-determining the path that many documentaries take to the marketplace. Now that Spring festivals are shuttered and the fate of a few remaining Summer festivals hang in the balance, the eyes are of the film world are inevitably turning to the Fall, or what I like to call 'Thom Powers territory.' So, it is with great pleasure that this week we bring you words and wisdom from the man himself, as he joins us here for an interview in this fourth part of our series."

MISCELLANEOUS

Why I Miss Movie Theaters, and Why Nothing Can Replace ThemAt Variety, Owen Gleiberman mourns the ability to go out for a movie: “Lately, I’ve been thinking about how much I miss movie theaters. I don’t just mean that I miss watching eye-zapping sensory-overload spectacles on the big screen. I don’t just mean that I miss watching vibrant life-size dramas that, by virtue of being on the big screen, become a kind of spectacle, one that’s larger-than-life in its intimacy. I mean that I miss the experience of going out to a movie, of giving yourself over to it, of getting lost in it, of being taken away from this world. Warning: Don’t try this at home. Or, at least, not if you want it to work as well as it does in the cavernous dark.”

Themed Playlist: Women-Made Indigenous Cinema from CanadaThe Centre for Screen Cultures have published this excellent watchlist put together by Girish Shambu: “Calls to socially distance and self-isolate are driving people to look for things to watch. But the sheer amount of options out there can be overwhelming. For this reason, we at the Centre for Screen Cultures are producing themed playlists of film, video, and television so you can organise your own series or festival at home (or home school). They will update here. We are fortunate to have film blogger, cinephile, film critic and educator, Girish Shambu, provide a list of 10 film/media works made by Indigenous women from Canada. All of them can be streamed for free at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) website. From Girish: ‘I owe profuse thanks to my friend Michelle van Beusekom, who introduced me to many of these films when she did a series of Facebook posts last June for National Indigenous History Month. Thank you for the gift of these many discoveries, Michelle. This list begins and ends with the great Alanis Obomsawin, the Abenaki filmmaker, singer and activist who has made over 50 films in the course of 5 decades. In Canadian film culture, she is a household name—I only wish it were so all over the world.’”

The Invisible Sound Design of Archival DocumentaryChristopher Campbell spoke with CRIP CAMP sound supervisor Jacob Bloomfield-Misrach about his work at Nonfics: “When a documentary is comprised of a variety of source material, the film requires a lot of sound editing to create consistent audio levels for a soundtrack that flows without distraction. But how many viewers know that a lot more goes into the sound design of a documentary, especially one made up mostly of archival footage? The award-winning documentary CRIP CAMP: A DISABILITY REVOLUTION is co-directed and produced by James ‘Jim’ LeBrecht, whose career primarily consists of doing sound for nonfiction films. And his wife and fellow producer on the film, Sara Bolder, is a veteran Hollywood dialogue editor who worked on such blockbusters as JURASSIC PARK, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, and TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY. Obviously they’d want this new film to have the best sound design possible. For the job, the couple (along with the other co-director and producer Nicole Newnham) hired someone very close to them: Jacob Bloomfield-Misrach. As the sound supervisor for CRIP CAMP, he managed the sound design of an ambitious project mostly made up of early video material as well as an array of news footage, all of which together chronicles an experiential history of the disabled rights movement.”

Stream and Shout: 10 Underseen Rock DocumentariesElisabeth Vincentelli has put together this list of rock doc recommendations for The New York Times: “As we all hole up, rock documentaries can perk up any living room. But in the list below, I opted to skip the well-known ones. Don’t look for stadium headliners or anything by Martin Scorsese. The emphasis is on lesser-known personalities whose energy is palpable through a screen of any size. Also required was a portrayal of community-building and togetherness — something many of us are craving right now — and a healthy amount of music, preferably loud, live and with a ‘you are there’ quality. Minus the stinky bathrooms, of course.”

Netflix Releases 10 Educational Docs on YouTube, FreeAnnounced via press release: “For many years, Netflix has allowed teachers to screen documentaries in their classrooms. However, this isn’t possible with schools closed. So at their request, we have made a selection of our documentary features and series available on the Netflix US YouTube channel. See the full list of documentary films and series below. Each title also has educational resources available, which can be used by both students and teachers - and we’ll be doing Q&As with some of the creators behind these projects so that students can hear from them firsthand. We hope this will, in a small way, help teachers around the world.”

Gravitas Ventures Launch Behind The Doc PodcastAnnounced via press release and now available on all podcasting platforms: “Behind the Doc takes you on a behind the scenes look at some of the most authentic, illuminating, and exciting documentaries chosen from the Gravitas Ventures collection.” On the first episode: “After seeing a presentation on the song ‘Who Let the Dogs Out,’ filmmaker Brent Hodge knew that there was a movie to be made. Brent Hodge (producer/director) and Aly Kelly (producer) take us with them on the journey of a lifetime as we discuss what it was like in the making of this documentary, meeting Ben Sisto, and the long line of ownership for one of the most popular songs of the late 90’s. This podcast will leave you wondering, who did let the dogs out?”